{"id":8236,"date":"2026-09-28T14:55:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T18:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/passez-a-laction\/des-gens-de-coeur\/that-cause-is-my-own\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T16:24:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T20:24:35","slug":"that-cause-is-my-own","status":"publish","type":"gens-de-coeur","link":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/take-action\/people-of-heart\/that-cause-is-my-own\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThat cause is my own. That\u2019s why I give monthly.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In 2023, her husband went to the emergency room with gallbladder pain. An ultrasound revealed gallstones, but also a mass on his kidney. The day after his surgery, a urologist came to meet with them.<\/p>\n

The grim diagnosis was kidney cancer.<\/p>\n

For M\u00e9lissa Bouchard-Viau, H\u00f4pital Charles-Le Moyne is not just a healthcare facility. It\u2019s a place that\u2019s part of her history. She grew up nearby, in Brossard. She gave birth there to her only son, now 15.<\/p>\n

Since then, the Hospital has remained a part of her landscape, a familiar landmark. Whenever she walked past it with her son, she would tell him:

\n\u201cThat\u2019s where you were born.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

She had no idea that, a few years later, this Hospital would take on an even deeper significance in her life.
The speed of the response and the care they received left a deep impression on M\u00e9lissa. Since then, her husband\u2019s follow-up tests have been reassuring. But the journey isn\u2019t quite over yet.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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And this wasn\u2019t the only time Charles Le Moyne Hospital has been there for her family.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In April 2025, it was her son who needed the Hospital. Within minutes, he was evaluated in the emergency room. Nurses, a social worker, and child psychiatrists supported the family through this difficult time. Home follow-up care continued for several months. For M\u00e9lissa, this support made all the difference.<\/p>\n

Then, more recently, her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The team quickly found her a spot in palliative care, where she received exceptional care.<\/p>\n

Three family members, three different experiences at the Hospital. And each time, M\u00e9lissa felt the same sense of support.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s my husband, my son, and then my mother. It couldn\u2019t be closer to my heart.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tM\u00e9lissa Bouchard Viau <\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A Cause Closer to Her Heart<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In the past, M\u00e9lissa donated to a different cause. Cancer had affected her father. But her philanthropic commitment took on a new dimension thanks to Karen Baker, a colleague at Agropur. M\u00e9lissa discovered that Karen is actively involved with the Fondation H\u00f4pital Charles-LeMoyne. Karen cycles for the Challenge: Let\u2019s Ride Together Against Cancer<\/a>. She is also a member of the Foundation\u2019s board of directors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since then, M\u00e9lissa has been organizing fundraising activities at work with Karen. She helps raise awareness of the cause among her colleagues and friends.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\tIn life, I only want to support one cause, for real. I\u2019ve dedicated myself to the Hospital and its Foundation. I feel like it\u2019s even more local, and it has an even greater impact.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tM\u00e9lissa Bouchard Viau <\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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She has become a monthly donor<\/a>. Every month, she and her husband donate $25 to the Foundation. \u201cWe give each month because it\u2019s the easiest way to budget!\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

For M\u00e9lissa, the cause has become her own because the Hospital is part of her story, and that of her husband, her son, and her family.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis cause is my own.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And you, what story connects you to your Hospital?<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cIn life, I only want to support one cause, for real. I\u2019ve dedicated myself to the Hospital and its Foundation. I feel like it\u2019s even more local, and it has an even greater impact.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8241,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-8236","gens-de-coeur","type-gens-de-coeur","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gens-de-coeur\/8236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gens-de-coeur"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/gens-de-coeur"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gens-de-coeur\/8236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8263,"href":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gens-de-coeur\/8236\/revisions\/8263"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fhclm.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}