Over the past few months, the Vaudreuil-Dorion community has been the scene of a wonderful story of solidarity, dedication and surpassing oneself. It took place at the Le Félix seniors' residence on Boulevard de la Gare. Interview with General Manager Olivier Michaud to find out more about this initiative within the seniors' living environment.

In September 2022, Amélie Champagne, daughter of Groupe Maurice's current President and CEO Alain Champagne, took her own life. The 22-year-old was at the end of her rope, having suffered from Lyme disease for several years. Prior to her death, the young woman was repeatedly confronted with the lack of resources in the medical system as it took time to confirm her diagnosis.

" It all started when Alain Champagne, who had been with Le Groupe Maurice for two years, announced his intention to climb Kilimanjaro in honour of his daughter and all Lyme disease patients. Our residents and staff were deeply touched by this feat, which was a real inspiration for us ," he sums up.

In the wake of this physical challenge, Alain Champagne also launched the Amélie Champagne Fund to advance research and raise awareness among both the general public and political leaders of this still little-known and incurable disease. Very difficult to detect, Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. It's a disease that needs to be taken seriously, as it can lead to serious consequences such as arthritis or damage to the nervous system if not treated in time, according to the Portail Santé Montérégie website.

Two initiatives to support Amélie and other victims

Deeply moved by this immeasurable tragedy, the residents and staff of Le Félix have decided to take humane action in support of this disease, which affects over 1,300 people in Quebec to date. The Montérégie region is the 2nd most affected by this health problem in the province.

In response to the tragedy experienced by the Champagne family, the residents of Le Félix dedicated the month of February to raising awareness of Lyme disease.

" Our Comité partage du Félix, which regularly raises funds to support various causes in the community, set up a kiosk in the building's reception throughout the month to collect funds for the Fonds Amélie Champagne from residents and visitors interested in making a donation. For their part, the staff also got involved in their own way, as did eight residents."

For the staff, Mr. Michaud and five colleagues - the heads of nursing, leasing and customer service, food services, administrative services and recreation - climbed Mont Rigaud. " We wanted to support Alain Champagne's challenge. We went there on Friday, March 1, to make a symbolic hike to the Cross that sits atop Rigaud Mountain. It wasn't an easy challenge, but we succeeded," he adds.

The obstacles faced by the group of hikers were mainly weather-related. " During the week of the challenge, the mercury hovered around 15 degrees Celsius. The night before our climb, it had reached -15 degrees Celsius. Parts of the trail were icy, and not everyone had crampons. Despite this, everyone wanted to do it anyway. There were a few falls, but fortunately nothing serious.

One of the participants in this activity, Lisa, who holds the position of head of administrative services, was keen to share her experience with Néomédia: " It was a really pleasant moment. Despite the fact that the trail was icy, the experience was fun. It strengthened our team spirit, and there was a great deal of mutual support throughout the climb. What's more, the hike was for a good cause."

Then, every Monday, the Félix holds a virtual bike activity in its cinema room. Combining business with pleasure, a group of eight residents decided to virtually pedal 20 km for the cause via a bike-a-thon. For this physical exercise session, a simulated route was displayed on the cinema screen, and participants sat on benches and pedaled.

Among the participants in this virtual challenge was Thérèse Paradis, with whom Néomédia spoke. " I know someone around me who has this disease. That's what motivated me to take part, and the fact that I wanted to stay active and in shape. Plus, it was for a good cause. It's appalling to have this disease and then take your own life because you can't take it anymore. It should never happen, least of all in your twenties. If the activity comes back, I'll take part again."

In the end, the wave of solidarity generated by this initiative was a great success, as Mr. Michaud confirms in conclusion. " In total, with the three activities, we raised $1,511 for the Fonds Amélie-Champagne. In light of this mobilization, the Luc Maurice Foundation decided to donate the same amount to the cause. A total of $3,022 was raised and presented to Mr. Champagne when he visited us on March 11. He was very touched.