A few hours before the start of the 24h Tremblant winter sports challenge, the spirit is celebrating. The site is looking beautiful and the slopes are well snowed, ready to welcome young and old skiers, but the real heroes of this event, the real inspiration, are the young people who are fighting cancer.
By observing their strength and determination, we quickly understand why this relay sporting challenge is so important. Five foundations helping sick children directly benefit from the sums raised.
At the microphone of Alexandre Dubé, via QUB radio, Ariane Mailloux, the mother of little Aiden, 5 years old, explained to what extent a cancer diagnosis turns the life of the entire family upside down.
“When it falls, it’s a bomb. You don’t expect to be told that your child has cancer, she says. It’s not a sprint, it’s an ultra marathon. That’s a lot of side effects and a lot of sacrifice for a 5-year-old boy who doesn’t always understand what’s going on.”
For the executive producer of the event, Simon St-Arnaud, it is this desire to fight which is the great inspiration of all the participants.
“It moves me a lot,” testified Simon St-Arnaud. The resilience of young children is incredible. We forget it, but adults often experience the illness more violently than children. He is in a good mood, he is courageous, he is smart. What’s extraordinary about these families who come to help us spread the message is that it really inspires the participants and motivates people.”
This year, 4,500 people will try to raise as much money as possible to allow young children like Aiden to finally live a normal life.