Take on the Chain of Life Challenge at Vallée du Parc!

Hi,
My name is Émilie Lefebvre, and I am a teacher inspired by the belief that education about organ and tissue donation is the starting point for all transformation.

In 2020, my life was changed forever by an act of immense generosity: a kidney transplant made possible thanks to a grieving family who agreed to organ donation. After many difficult months on dialysis, this gift allowed me to regain a normal life—as a passionate teacher, an active and curious woman, and, above all, a fulfilled mother of a healthy little boy.

Sharing my transplant journey with my students has become an essential mission for me. It allows me to raise their awareness about a reality that is still too little known and to help them realize the power each of us holds to save lives. The Chain of Life Program offers young people a unique opportunity to reflect, form an opinion, and learn about the importance of organ donation—a subject rarely discussed in their daily lives. It is the perfect context for cultivating empathy and solidarity and encouraging healthy lifestyle habits to take care of their organs.

Adolescence is a key period during which young people develop their sense of responsibility, especially regarding their health and well-being. It is also a time when they build intellectual autonomy and learn to make informed choices. As a Sec II English teacher at École secondaire du Rocher, in the Mauricie region, I encourage my students to reflect, debate, and stand up for their opinions on social issues that affect them directly.

A few years ago, while I was waiting for a transplant, I had the chance to complete the Chain of Life training program. For now, I am not yet teaching the program because it is designed for Sec V students, but I look forward to the day I can present it to my classes.

This year, as I celebrate the fifth anniversary of my kidney transplant, I am proud to serve as the flag bearer for the Chain of Life Challenge in my region as part of World Organ and Tissue Donation Day. By sharing my story, I hope to highlight the vital importance of this act and to remind everyone that education is the starting point of this chain of generosity and hope.

It is through education that everything takes root: awareness, the transmission of values, and the realization of the power young people have to act and change the world. I deeply believe in their potential. I believe in this movement. And I am convinced that together, by investing in education, we are shaping a society that is more caring, informed and healthy.

I warmly invite you to climb alongside me or to support my team (name) as we carry this message of hope and solidarity all the way to the summit of Mont Vallée du Parc.

Émilie Lefebvre, kidney transplant recipient
English teacher – École secondaire du Rocher
Flag bearer – Mauricie region

Coming soon