Take on the Chain of Life Challenge at mont Adstock with students from Polyvalente de Thetford!

Hi,
My name is Julie Grégoire, vice-principal at Polyvalente de Thetford, in the beautiful Chaudière-Appalaches region.

I had the immense privilege of teaching the Chain of Life Program at my school for four years. The training that allowed me to teach it deeply moved me and inspired me to the highest degree.

The first cohort I had the chance to teach was my son’s class. I quickly saw the impact it had on my students, as my own son came home from school and discussed the topic with his brothers, emphasizing the scope and importance of organ donation. In my second year, in 2019, it was the wonderful Catherine Poulin’s turn to receive this powerful teaching. Catherine, touched and committed, brought this message of hope home to her family by expressing her wish to donate her organs. On January 2, 2020, she and her boyfriend died in a car accident, and both donated their tissues. There is no need to say more about the impact of such a program—for me, for our students, and for their families. Catherine and Jérémy will forever be present in our school and in our community.

Since the fall of 2021, I have been a vice-principal, and it is with a heart full of pride that I saw Polyvalente de Thetford become a “Chain of Life School” for tissue donation, in honour of Catherine and Jérémy. Of course, the program continues to be taught in our school, and this year, I have the immense privilege of being the flag-bearer for southern Chaudière-Appalaches. Passionate about hiking, for me this is not just a climb—it is a deeply meaningful act, a powerful message to honour life.

Education, the builder of tomorrow’s society, is without a doubt the first link in the chain of life. I believe in our youth, in their strength, and in their commitment. I firmly believe in this movement, and if it is true that alone we go faster, it is clear that together, with education, WE go farther.

Thank you for joining us on October 17 or for making a donation to my team or our region.

Julie Grégoire
Vice-principal, Polyvalente de Thetford
Flag bearer - Chaudière-Appalaches Sud
 

HI
My name is Nathalie Faucher, and I teach Secondary IV English at the Polyvalente de Thetford Mines, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. I have had the privilege of teaching the Chain of Life Program for the past three years, after taking the essential training needed to address this delicate topic with my students. I took over from another teacher who had been teaching the program for several years. Being a Chain of Life teacher is one of the most meaningful experiences of my career.

Every year, I watch my students grow, reflect, get involved, and share the message of organ donation with those around them. I can see the emotions and the impact this program has on them.

This program is even more significant for me and my students because we are a Chain of Life school, and I have had two former students who became organ and tissue donors following a car accident. Catherine and Jérémy made a difference for other families after the accident. Having taught Catherine and Jérémy adds another dimension to my teaching of Chain of Life, and it has a huge impact on my students, as some of them knew them personally or are members of their families. As a teacher, I can make a difference in the lives of my students and in my community.

This year, I have the immense pride of being the flag bearer for the southern Chaudière-Appalaches region. For me, it’s not just a climb, it’s a powerful gesture of commitment to life.

I believe in the strength of our students and our youth as agents of change and that they can truly make a difference through this teaching. I believe in this movement, and I am proud to pass along the beautiful message that is Chain of Life. I believe that together, through education, we are building a society that is better informed, more altruistic and healthier.

Thank you for joining us on October 17 or for making a donation to my team or our region.. (link coming soon)

Nathalie Faucher
English Teacher, Polyvalente de Thetford Mines
Flag bearer - Chaudière-Appalache Sud Region

Coming soon