Take Action / Chain of Life Challenge


Take on the Chain of Life Challenge at mont Habitant!

Support the Dwyer family, our flag bearers representing donor families in the Laurentides region. Donate to the region, form a team or join them for the climb as a gesture of solidarity in support of organ and tissue donation education in schools.


It's a date on Sunday, October 15, 2023

12, chemin des Skieurs
Saint-Sauveur (Québec) J0R 1R2

Flag bearer

Dwyer family

Dwyer family

On Friday, January 22, 2021, it was a normal winter evening. We'd gone skating nearby and were preparing Brayden's father Kevin's birthday dinner. Our 11-year-old son was playing PS4 online with his friends. 

Moments later, Brayden came out of his room complaining of a very intense headache that had just begun. In a matter of seconds, his life changed! He began to sweat abnormally and his eyes became very glossy. He asked us, "Mom, Dad, am I going to be okay?"  We called 9-1-1.  

After a few seconds, he could no longer speak to us, but responded to his father's instructions to put up a finger. Then nothing. A coma. 

The paramedics took Brayden to hospital, where he underwent a CT scan. We were then informed that his situation was serious and that he needed surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain. After a 4-hour surgery, the neurosurgeon explained that Brayden suffered from an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which we had never heard of. It was a serious condition that had just caused arteriovenous ruptures in his brain. He'd had the disease since birth, but without any apparent symptoms. 

Once he was in intensive care, we prayed that our little soldier would be able to fight the disease and be healthy again. We wished so much that he would open his big blue eyes.
 
Tragically, four days later, cardiac arrest was caused by several factors, including the initial hemorrhage. We were devastated by this nightmare. No parent should have to go through this pain. 

Despite all this tragedy, Brayden was able to help others by donating his organs and tissues. Our young boy had a big heart and will forever be our hero!

Today, we want to take this opportunity to inform and raise awareness. We also want to make a difference and find a cure for this disease, in collaboration with the CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital in Brayden's honour! We hope that one day all young children will be systematically screened, because AVM is a rare disease... until the day it hits you!

Sincerely,
Jennifer, Kevin, Brianna, Dylan and Shane xxxxx

The Key Links in the Chain of Life

The Key Links in the Chain of Life

The key links in the chain of life are doctors, nurses, transplant recipients, donor families, teachers, students, distinguished climbers, public figures and many others... who join forces to create a movement uniting all those touched directly or indirectly by organ and tissue donation.

The day of the event

montagne-laurentides

  • For the Challenge, you will need to bring warm clothes, a snack and water.

  • In case of bad weather, please consult the Facebook event for the Laurentides region for details.

Get directions from Google Maps

9:30

Arrival time for participants

10:00

Opening Words

10:15

Start of the climb

11:30

Photo at the top

12:00

End of the event

Diane Hébert

Diane Hébert

Captain: Isabelle Tétreault

Goal: $

Force, Courage, Espoir

Force, Courage, Espoir

Captain: Audrey Morency

Goal: $500

Friends

Friends

Captain: Marc Delage

Goal: $

Les Canards Fous

Les Canards Fous

Captain: Cathie-Anne Frigon

Goal: $500

Team Brayden

Team Brayden

Captain: Jennifer Dwyer

Goal: $500

    Isabelle Tétreault

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Jonathan Corbeil

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Vincent Corbeil

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Emy Corbeil

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Julie Boucher

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Jean-Michel Fortin

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Michel Bourassa

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Bernadette Labbé

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Sophie Bourque

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Martine Daoust

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Safina Herscheid

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Manon Dumais

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Sophie Gaboriault

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Josee Charbonneau

    Team: Diane Hébert

    Audrey Morency

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    William Simard

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Catherine Simard

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Raphaël Mauger

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Nicolas Mauger

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Émilie Mauger

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Sylvie Morency

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    marie-claude duval

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Carole Tousignant

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Eric Martel

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Maxime Wiseman

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Dominique Simard

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Naomie Beaulne

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Alexandra Proteau

    Team: Force, Courage, Espoir

    Marc Delage

    Team: Friends

    Simon Delage

    Team: Friends

    GSD Climatisation Inc

    Team: Friends

    Isabelle Lalonde

    Team: Friends

    Françoise Arsenault

    Team: Friends

    Kathy Soares

    Team: Friends

    Francine Poudrier

    Team: Friends

    Cathie-Anne Frigon

    Team: Les Canards Fous

    Loucas Carrière

    Team: Les Canards Fous

    Jayden Kurtz

    Team: Les Canards Fous

    Loik Carrière

    Team: Les Canards Fous

    Deven Kurtz

    Team: Les Canards Fous

    Alex Courval

    Team: Les Canards Fous

    Jennifer Dwyer

    Team: Team Brayden

    Kevin Odell

    Team: Team Brayden

    Brianna Odell

    Team: Team Brayden

    Dylan Odell

    Team: Team Brayden

    Shane Odell

    Team: Team Brayden

    Nick Russo

    Team: Team Brayden

    Hailey Dwyer

    Team: Team Brayden

    Lorella Marandola

    Team: Team Brayden

    Joe Latufara

    Team: Team Brayden

    Cindy Lacireno

    Team: Team Brayden

    Jocelyne Malo

    Team: No team

    Vicki Vervroegen

    Team: No team

    cloe lapointe

    Team: No team

    Guillaume corbin

    Team: No team

    eva corbin

    Team: No team

    rose corbin

    Team: No team

    Dominic Dupuis

    Team: No team

    Anne-Marie Phaneuf

    Team: No team

    Brigitte Daigneault

    Team: No team

    Michel Laplante

    Team: No team

    Chantal Daigneault

    Team: No team

    Robert Lauzon

    Team: No team

    Priscilla Chabot

    Team: No team

    Frederic Forget

    Team: No team

    Maude Chalifour

    Team: No team

    Michel Di Blasio

    Team: No team

    Martine Lenoir

    Team: No team

    Jean-Francois Larente

    Team: No team

    Kathy Soares

    Team: No team

    Lyne Renaud

    Team: No team

    Sophie Allard

    Team: No team

    Sophie Allard

    Team: No team

      GSD Climatisation Inc

      5 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $300 to the team: Friends

      Audrey Morency

      5 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Johanne Morency

      5 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      « Bravo Audrey pour ton implication! Tellement chanceux que tu sois parmi nous. Bisous. »

      Isabelle Tétreault

      5 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Diane Hébert

      William Simard

      5 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Robert Beasse

      5 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Friends

      Isabelle Lalonde

      5 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Friends

      Françoise Arsenault

      5 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Friends

      Jocelyne Malo

      5 months ago

      made a donation of $150 to the region

      Catherine Simard

      5 months ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Nicole Fortin

      5 months ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Friends

      cloe lapointe

      5 months ago

      made a donation of $60 to the region

      Dominic Dupuis

      5 months ago

      made a donation of $100 to the region

      Brigitte Daigneault

      5 months ago

      made a donation of $300 to the region

      Sylvie Morency

      4 months 4 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      marie-claude duval

      4 months 4 weeks ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Chantal Belisle

      4 months 4 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Friends

      Jennifer Dwyer

      4 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $120 to the team: Team Brayden

      Nick Russo

      4 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $60 to the team: Team Brayden

      Sherrill MacDonald

      4 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Team Brayden

      Stacy Bolos

      4 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Team Brayden

      Cindy Lacireno

      4 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Team Brayden

      Julie Boucher

      4 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $60 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Francis Martel

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $20 to the region

      Abderrahman El Ouahmani

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $20 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Cathie-Anne Frigon

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous

      Annie-Eve Frigon

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous

      « Bonne chance les canards fous 🦆🤪 »

      Jocelyne Bélanger

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Les Canards Fous

      Hardy Frigon Diane

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous

      Sylvie Brière

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $25 to the region

      Michel Bourassa

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $200 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Linda Maillé

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $25 to the region

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Jacinthe Belanger

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Les Canards Fous

      Francine Poudrier

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Friends

      Véronique Cote

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $40 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Sophie Frigon

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous

      Annie Briere

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Diane Hébert

      « Félicitations! C’est une très bonne cause! »

      Carole Tousignant

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Eric Martel

      4 months 2 weeks ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Louise Paquette

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $25 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Sophie Bourque

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Maxime Wiseman

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $60 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir

      Lorella Marandola

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $60 to the team: Team Brayden

      Francine Frigon

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous

      Martine Daoust

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Célyn Gravel

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $140 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Sylvie Cote

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $50 to the region

      Manon Dumais

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Lyne Renaud

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $30 to the region

      Cindy Lacireno

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $30 to the team: Team Brayden

      Sophie Gaboriault

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Josee Charbonneau

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert

      Nathalie Fortin

      4 months 1 week ago

      made a donation of $50 to the region

      Marie-Claude Ouimet

      2 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $70 to the region

      « Inscription sur place $100 transféré par Isabelle Tétreault ($915 au total) »

      Martin Désormeaux

      2 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $100 to the region

      « Inscription sur place $100 transféré par Isabelle Tétreault ($915 au total) »

      Ventes items et petits dons Laurentides

      2 months 3 weeks ago

      made a donation of $745 to the region

      « Inclus dans le transfert interac de $915 d'Isabelle Tétreault (Laurentides) »

        Distinguished Climber

        Nathalie Fortin

        Nathalie Fortin

        On  May 19, 2012, I was injured while I was on the roof of the world at 8,848m with my Sherpa Namyal. I was suffering, but what I remember is that I was not alone. The support of everyone there with me was very powerful! It shows how we all make a difference.

        Every time I think about my accident, it's hard not to get emotional, because I was walking on the walls and I couldn't see any solution. Today, I have recovered my health, but I still have hope and dreams and... I can't wait for the next mountain!

        Waiting for an organ also requires perseverance, determination, good support and a steel-hard morale. It requires having hope and dreaming...!

        The people who are waiting for a transplant and who do not know if they will find a compatible donor thus have a special place in my heart. They must continue to have hope and dreams.

        We can give them hope by increasing the number of organ donations. 
        The Chain of Life school program educates young people about organ and tissue donation and encourages them to discuss this issue with their families. In this way, they help save lives because the more that people are informed, the more they see the importance of saying yes to organ and tissue donation.

        So, make a donation to Chain of Life, sign the back of your health insurance card and don't forget to tell your loved ones, because they will have the last word.

        Come climb Mount Habitant with your family on October 15! It's a great way to support Chain of Life and at the same time get some fresh air.

        Together, we can make a difference!

        I look forward to seeing you.

        Mountain Climbing and Waiting for a Transplant: What a Parallel!

        Participants in the Chain of Life Challenge carry the flag to the top of a mountain in their region.

        Mountain Climbing and Waiting for a Transplant: What a Parallel!

        Waiting for a transplant is a bit like climbing a mountain. Both require preparation, fortitude, determination, perseverance and, most of all, support — the climber needs strong climbing partners and the person waiting for an organ needs a reliable support network. Both are real challenges. This is why the mountain has become one of the symbols associated with Chain of Life.

        By planting the Chain of Life flag at the top of a mountain, we are not only showing our solidarity for organ and tissue donation, but we are also helping send a message of hope to all those waiting for a transplant in Quebec and elsewhere.

        Thank you to our partners!