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
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 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
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For the Challenge, you will need to bring warm clothes, a snack and water.
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In case of bad weather, please consult the Facebook event for the Laurentides region for details.
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
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 agomade a donation of $300 to the team: Friends
Audrey Morency
5 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $30 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Johanne Morency
5 months 2 weeks agomade 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 agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Diane Hébert
William Simard
5 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $30 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Robert Beasse
5 months 1 week agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Friends
Isabelle Lalonde
5 months 1 week agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Friends
Françoise Arsenault
5 months 1 week agomade a donation of $30 to the team: Friends
Jocelyne Malo
5 months agomade a donation of $150 to the region
Catherine Simard
5 months agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Nicole Fortin
5 months agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Friends
cloe lapointe
5 months agomade a donation of $60 to the region
Dominic Dupuis
5 months agomade a donation of $100 to the region
Brigitte Daigneault
5 months agomade a donation of $300 to the region
Sylvie Morency
4 months 4 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
marie-claude duval
4 months 4 weeks agomade a donation of $30 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Chantal Belisle
4 months 4 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Friends
Jennifer Dwyer
4 months 3 weeks agomade a donation of $120 to the team: Team Brayden
Nick Russo
4 months 3 weeks agomade a donation of $60 to the team: Team Brayden
Sherrill MacDonald
4 months 3 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Team Brayden
Stacy Bolos
4 months 3 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Team Brayden
Cindy Lacireno
4 months 3 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Team Brayden
Julie Boucher
4 months 3 weeks agomade a donation of $60 to the team: Diane Hébert
Francis Martel
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $20 to the region
Abderrahman El Ouahmani
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $20 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Cathie-Anne Frigon
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous
Annie-Eve Frigon
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous
« Bonne chance les canards fous 🦆🤪 »
Jocelyne Bélanger
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Les Canards Fous
Hardy Frigon Diane
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous
Sylvie Brière
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $25 to the region
Michel Bourassa
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $200 to the team: Diane Hébert
Linda Maillé
4 months 2 weeks agomade 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 agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Les Canards Fous
Francine Poudrier
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $30 to the team: Friends
Véronique Cote
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $40 to the team: Diane Hébert
Sophie Frigon
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous
Annie Briere
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Diane Hébert
« Félicitations! C’est une très bonne cause! »
Carole Tousignant
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Eric Martel
4 months 2 weeks agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Louise Paquette
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $25 to the team: Diane Hébert
Sophie Bourque
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert
Maxime Wiseman
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $60 to the team: Force, Courage, Espoir
Lorella Marandola
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $60 to the team: Team Brayden
Francine Frigon
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $100 to the team: Les Canards Fous
Martine Daoust
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert
Célyn Gravel
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $140 to the team: Diane Hébert
Sylvie Cote
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $50 to the region
Manon Dumais
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $30 to the team: Diane Hébert
Lyne Renaud
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $30 to the region
Cindy Lacireno
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $30 to the team: Team Brayden
Sophie Gaboriault
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert
Josee Charbonneau
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $50 to the team: Diane Hébert
Nathalie Fortin
4 months 1 week agomade a donation of $50 to the region
Marie-Claude Ouimet
2 months 3 weeks agomade a donation of $70 to the region
« Inscription sur place $100 transféré par Isabelle Tétreault ($915 au total) »
Martin Désormeaux
2 months 3 weeks agomade 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 agomade a donation of $745 to the region
« Inclus dans le transfert interac de $915 d'Isabelle Tétreault (Laurentides) »
Distinguished Climber
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.
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.