Richard Lavoie has always had a big heart, both with his partner of the past forty years, Sylvie Boyer, and with everyone around him.
“I was born into modest circumstances, and I don’t consider myself wealthy. I’ve had to work hard all my life. But I enjoy giving to others, and I can certainly afford to leave a gift in my will as a way of saying thank you.”
Remarkable determination in the face of hardship
In December 2020, Richard learned from his doctor that he had liver cancer. He was shocked, but he didn’t hesitate to seek treatment at the CHUM.
Surrounded by specialists and state-of-the-art equipment, he quickly began treatment. He first underwent thermoablation sessions—a form of radiotherapy that destroys tumors with heat—and that showed encouraging results for several years.
However, the cancer returned elsewhere in his liver. This time, chemotherapy was required, but the treatments became increasingly difficult to endure, and the tumors harder to eliminate.
Gradually, another option emerged: a liver transplant. The waitlist was long and the procedure risky, but it seemed to be his only chance of survival.
One morning, he received the long-awaited—and dreaded—call: a liver was available. With tears in his eyes, fearing his partner would be left alone if the operation failed, he chose to trust the CHUM specialists.
The surgery was a success. Thanks to a positive attitude and extraordinary determination, Richard was even able to walk unaided through the hospital corridors just days later—his first steps on the road to remission.
Today, he is doing well and feels deeply grateful.
“For me, the CHUM is truly special, it’s where I received the gift of life. I want people to know how well I was cared for and how satisfied I was. Most of all, I want others to benefit from this kind of care after I’m gone.”
A powerful desire to give back
From the moment he arrived at the CHUM, Richard noticed the Foundation office on the first floor. He would regularly stop by to make donations. Giving back to the hospital that treated him was important to Richard.
But as his surgery approached, the idea kept growing: he wanted to do more.
Richard and his partner visited a notary to add a legacy gift to his will—a simple step that allowed him to give the CHUM Foundation a meaningful place in his legacy.
For Richard, this decision was a concrete way to recognize the quality of care he received, and to give those who follow a better chance at survival.
“Like it or not, we have less time ahead of us than behind us. When I no longer need my money, the hospital will—and it feels good to know others will benefit from it.”
Through his legacy gift, Richard hopes to advance research and care in hepatology and make a lasting difference for people affected by liver disease in the future.
Choose to leave a lasting legacy
Do you, like Richard, want to take meaningful action that will transform the future of healthcare?