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Îles-de-la-Madeleine20242023

Mathéo Arseneau

11 years old

Mathéo is affected by a rare form of abdominal cancer (rhabdomyosarcoma), which is a cancer of the soft tissues that develops from muscle cells. It often affects children and can cause abdominal pain or masses.

"With Mathéo's illness, being in the presence of many children living with cancer amplified the importance we already placed on Enfant Soleil," say Mathéo’s parents.

 

The first symptoms

At 6 years old, Mathéo begins complaining of stomach pains, the intensity and frequency of which increase over the weeks. One day, the severe pain and accompanying fever lead his parents to seek medical attention at the Hôpital de l’Archipel in Cap-aux-Meules. Blood tests reveal an infection. The child’s condition worries the doctors, who decide to transfer him urgently by plane to the Centre mère-enfant Soleil at CHU de Québec-Université Laval. "The doctor told us at that moment that we could expect the best or the worst. But the trend was pointing toward the worst," recalls Valérie, his mother.

A startling diagnosis

The following week is filled with numerous tests. "We had to wait until we were in Québec for the results of the X-rays because there are no radiologists at the Hôpital de l’Archipel," explains Valérie. A mass is discovered in Mathéo’s abdomen. The parents are devastated by this terrible news. "The oncologist informed us of the treatment protocol, and we knew at that moment that we would have to leave the Islands for an indefinite period to be close to the hospital and have access to all the specialists on-site," Valérie remembers.

The road to recovery

On January 6, 2020, Mathéo undergoes surgery to remove the cancerous mass, on his 7th birthday. "It’s the best birthday gift!" he says to his parents. The next phase of treatment includes 3 rounds of chemotherapy and 7 weeks of radiation therapy. For this second step, the medical team recommends proton therapy, which is much less invasive and allows for precise targeting of cancer cells without damaging healthy tissue. Since this treatment is not available in Canada, the family has to relocate to a specialized center in Philadelphia for the months to follow.

Anxious about their financial instability, panicked about leaving the country, and not speaking English, the parents still do everything they can to move to Philadelphia. "Since he was very young, the specialists preferred to do the treatments in the U.S. It was an incredible opportunity because, despite our fears, we knew Mathéo was lucky to be selected for this treatment and that it was the best option for him," recalls his mother.

Mathéo responds very well to the treatments, and Mom and Dad face the challenges with courage. Then, one day, in a hallway at the CMES at CHU, the sound of a bell rings out. After 67 weeks, its joyful chime marks the end of Mathéo’s treatment, the end of this terrible ordeal, and their return home. Today, Mathéo is doing very well and continues to go to Québec every 6 months for medical follow-ups.

"Donations are so important for all children affected by illness. There is continuous progress in the medical field, and small miracles happen every day!"

– Valérie Chiasson and Yves Arseneau

The resilience of Mathéo

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