A blood cancer nearly took my life... After a relapse, exhausted, I had given up on recovery, until Dr. Denis-Claude Roy and my family gave me hope again. My life had been happy, at work, with my family, and alongside my partner. Then everything changed.
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont saved my life!
It started with mild symptoms, muscle weakness, fatigue… But things quickly got worse, and I had to go to the hospital in January 2023. What I thought was just a bad flu turned out to be a very aggressive blood cancer, one that attacked my immune system and white blood cells.
I was told that to survive, I needed to be transferred to a specialized center for the rarest cases. That’s when I learned about the University Institute in Hemato-Oncology and Cell Therapy at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, home to the best team to treat my illness. Under the care of Dr. Denis-Claude Roy, a world-renowned hemato-oncologist, I underwent several treatments, including chemotherapy. It was long and difficult ,not just physically, but mentally. I no longer recognized myself. I was isolated. I couldn’t eat what I wanted. And living through all this far from my loved ones, my greatest source of strength, made it even harder.
“But the effort paid off. Three months later, I was told I was in remission, it was the happiest day of my life. There was still one last step before I could truly hope for recovery: an autologous stem cell transplant, which also seemed to work!”
Samuel Fillion, Patient
After many long discussions and reflections with Dr. Roy and my loved ones, I decided to try again. What if this next treatment could be the one? They offered me another form of cell therapy, an allogeneic stem cell transplant, meaning I received stem cells from a compatible donor. Today, I’m doing very well, and I can finally say it: I AM CURED.
For me, happiness now means being healthy, and giving back to those who saved my life. The team at HMR isn’t my family, but they feel like one. Every member of the staff supported me with dedication, compassion, and passion. Each person left a mark on me, and their work goes far beyond a vocation, it’s a true calling.
Giving, or giving again, means thinking of others. Life always comes full circle, and your gesture could save someone you love, or even yourself.
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