Take on the Chain of Life Challenge at mont Bellevue!

Hi,
My name is Elizabeth Mérineau, and I teach Secondary IV English at La Frontalière High School in the Coaticook region. I have had the privilege of teaching the Chain of Life Program for the past seven years, after completing the essential training that gave me the tools and confidence to guide my students through a subject that is both delicate and profoundly meaningful.

Being a Chain of Life teacher is one of the most significant experiences of my career. In fact, this project is without a doubt my favorite because it is 100% authentic. It is filled with deeply moving stories, striking statistics and countless eye-opening realizations. Some students may feel nervous at first about tackling such a serious theme. However, teenagers are often more open-minded and sensitive than we give them credit for. I can confirm that they quickly become engaged in the different activities and genuinely want to make a difference. Thanks to Chain of Life, students now have the opportunity to help save up to eight lives—simply by signing a sticker and talking with their loved ones. Incredible, but true!

As a teacher, there is no greater reward than knowing you have sparked essential conversations at home—conversations that one day could save lives.

This year, I am immensely proud and honored to be the flag bearer for my region in the Chain of Life Challenge. It is much more than a symbolic climb: it is a powerful act, filled with gratitude and commitment.

Education is the first link in the Chain of Life. That’s where it all begins: awareness, values and the discovery of the power young people have to change the world. I believe in our students. I believe in this movement. And I believe that together, through education, we are building a society that is more informed, altruistic and healthy.

I invite you to climb by my side or support my team as we carry this message all the way to the top of our mountain.

Elizabeth Mérineau
Proud Chain of Life Teacher 
Flag bearer – Estrie Region

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.