When a mother feels that something is wrong, she knows it. Even when answers take time. Even when her concerns seem invisible to others.
Caroline is the mother of three girls. She will never forget the first months of life of her second daughter. At only seven months old, the little girl suffered from severe vomiting episodes. Again, and again. Visits to the emergency room became more frequent. Almost every time, the same answer came back: “It’s a stomach bug. It will pass.”
But deep down, Caroline knew it was something more.
Like so many parents faced with the unknown, she experienced the anguish of a medical odyssey. That painful feeling of searching for answers without ever finding them. Between appointments, worries, and sleepless nights, one question kept coming back. What if something more serious was being overlooked?
Then one day, someone finally took the time. An emergency physician told her words she will never forget: “I don’t understand yet, but we’re going to find out.”
For Caroline, those words changed everything.
Thanks to the pediatrics team and allergist, more investigations finally led to a diagnosis. The little girl was suffering from Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES) associated with 30 different foods and 4 others from type IgE (anaphylactic). A rare and still little-known form of food allergy that mainly affects young children.
At last, the family had answers. But the diagnosis was only the beginning.
They now had to learn how to live with the condition. Monitoring every ingredient, adapting meals, anticipating reactions, and organizing ongoing medical follow-ups. It was a demanding daily reality, carried on the shoulders of overwhelmed parents. Caroline and her husband also had to care for their eldest daughter who has special needs.
There were exhaustion, stress, and moments when everything felt heavy.
And yet, after every hospital appointment, Caroline would leave with something precious. A clear plan, practical tools… and above all, the feeling that she was not alone.
This human presence, this willingness to listen and to keep searching for answers… It marked their family.
Today, Caroline looks beyond her own story. She thinks about all the families living with rare diseases. All the parents still waiting to truly be heard.
“I hope the expertise of these specialized teams can be passed on to the next generation of medical professionals. That more healthcare workers will be trained in rare diseases. And that families across Montérégie will be able to access specialized care close to home. Without having to endure endless travel and exhausting procedures.”
That is why she and her husband chose to become monthly donors.
Because to them, supporting pediatric care is not only about funding services. It means helping other families be heard sooner. Contributing to reducing diagnostic delays. Offering parents a little reassurance during the most fragile moments of their lives.
For Caroline, giving every month has become a tangible way of giving back what her family once received
