Nothing truly prepares you for cancer. For Rapha\u00ebl Jolicoeur, it all started when he was 36 years old. While visiting friends in Portugal, he was surprised to see unusual traces of blood in the toilet bowl. Thinking it was merely a bacterial infection, Rapha\u00ebl was prescribed antibiotics, but the discomfort persisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When back home in Quebec, it happened again. Rapha\u00ebl visited the CHUM emergency room, where he got a colonoscopy. Then, after weeks of doubts and telltale signs, alternating between denial and anxiety, he finally got a clear diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cI woke up and saw the doctor approaching, looking very serious. The verdict was in: a tumour measuring about 6 cm, probably there for several years, the surrounding lymph nodes also suspect.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Although hard to hear, Rapha\u00ebl could finally see the road ahead: armed with the knowledge, he could now move forward. Medical appointments set a new rhythm for his days as he embarked on the PRODIGE protocol, a personalized treatment that combines chemotherapy with radiotherapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWhat struck me most was the quality of the CHUM team: compassionate, methodical people, who can talk about cancer without over-dramatising it. And I can\u2019t forget my mother and father, who never left my side, asking all the right questions while I took notes in my head. I felt like I wasn\u2019t just a patient, that I was taking an active part in my healing, surrounded by people ready to step into battle with me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Rising from the ashes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rapha\u00ebl very quickly felt the need to express what he was going through, so that he could change his perspective, speak more openly and regain some control. His experience became a source of creativity and soon after, Tumour.me<\/a> was born. This platform not only describes the illness\u2014it brings it to life. On the app, he created a persona for his tumor, named Beatrice, and built a unique space for sharing via an open diary. Thanks to artificial intelligence, visitors can interact with Beatrice, write to Rapha\u00ebl, get updates about his journey, join a WhatsApp support group and even donate to the CHUM Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rapha\u00ebl is motivated by the gratitude he feels for the science, for the breakthroughs and for the healthcare system that supported him throughout. He hopes to use the collected donations to fund research and innovation at the CHUM, so that others affected by cancer can also face the disease with hope, optimism and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, while Rapha\u00ebl continues to receive chemotherapy and other treatments to shrink his tumor, he hasn\u2019t stopped sharing every step of his journey on Tumour.me<\/a>\u2014making his story a true source of inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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