Take on the Chain of Life Challenge at mont Bellevue!

I'm Antoine Bélanger, 28 years old, and I've been a police officer for over 5 years. Before joining the Sherbrooke Police Department, I worked for the SPVM for three years.

One of the reasons I decided to become a police officer was to be able to help people in a concrete way and to be “there” when they needed me. On several occasions, I asked myself what more I could do. Understanding what it's like when a family member experiences life-threatening health problems, I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. So, during my time with the SPVM, I became involved in organ transport as a volunteer.

It has helped me realize what a difference volunteer work can make. There are so many people waiting for a transplant, their fingers crossed, hoping that one day soon they'll get their call. And when they do, it's all a matter of seconds. There have to be people there to respond, whatever the time or the weather.

Experience confirms that what we do, our involvement and our response time really do make a difference. That's why I'm so very proud to be part of this chain of life. It has made me realize how fragile life is and just how important it is to make the most of the time we have with our loved ones.

We can't forget that this chain of life involves a large number of professionals working together to save as many lives as possible: doctors, nurses, police officers, airplane pilots, paramedics and so on. Let's all work together to make a real difference!

The mountain is a challenge, but it's a challenge we've chosen!
This choice calls for meticulous, long-term preparation if we are to reach the summit. However, the summit isn't always possible; there are variables beyond our control. But what we can do, we must do; nobody can do it for us.

What belongs to the climber:

• The will, the desire to outperform, perseverance in doing physical exercise and the patience needed to learn climbing techniques.
• The desire to work as part of a team and to be a good player, thinking of what's best for the group, being a good leader... or a good follower.

Once the preparations are behind you, it's off to the start. The mountain is not a 100 m. sprint; it's a marathon that takes several days to complete, depending on the altitude. The higher it is, the longer it takes, and sometimes you have to retreat (go back down) in order to advance (what we call altitude levels).

Can we draw a parallel with organ recipients? Certainly. 
However, illness is not a choice; it slams into us like a bulldozer! It takes us by surprise, and so do mountains... with unstable weather and devious crevasses. Illness is certainly not a sprint, but rather a marathon that sometimes lasts for several years. It's also surrounded by a team of specialists of all kinds: doctors and nurses for the physical aspect and dad, mom, siblings, grandparents and friends, who are all part of the moral support that's needed during “the long run.”

Anyone waiting for a transplant waits with hope, just as anyone starting out on a mountain hopes to reach the summit. Hope is what keeps us all going... Otherwise, we'd all be lying down...

Walking together today for Chain of Life is a source of hope. Life is what unites us today.