Cynthia Denault

Meet Cynthia Denault, breast cancer survivor.

When the nurse at the Saint-Jérôme breast clinic handed her a folder filled with Canadian Cancer Society pamphlets, Cynthia Denault was still in shock, overwhelmed by the news of her breast cancer diagnosis.

“When I got home, I opened the folder and found some concrete and really relevant information about the disease, treatments and one pamphlet that I found particularly useful on how to deal with cancer,” she recounts. That’s because cancer also affects family and friends, and in Cynthia’s case, her two sons, then aged 15 and 18. “It’s tough for a mother to tell her kids that she has cancer. At least, with the information I had, I could answer all their questions.”

“The Canadian Cancer Society helped me fight my disease.”

Cynthia Denault

Throughout her treatment, Cynthia attended the various workshops organized by the Society (visualization, expressive arts therapy, Look Good Feel Better program). “When you’re undergoing treatment, you feel really alone. Participating in these workshops is a good way to de-stress and socialize with people going through the same thing,” explains Cynthia.

And when it was time for radiation therapy, Cynthia turned to Maison Jacques-Cantin, just a short distance away from Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital, where she underwent 22 treatments. “I live in the Laurentians and making the trek to Montreal for my treatments was really stressful. At Maison Jacques-Cantin, I was fed, lodged and surrounded by fantastic staff and extraordinary volunteers, all for just $20 per day.”

That’s also where Cynthia met people from across Quebec who, like her, were battling cancer. “It made me realize that I was lucky to be there and to have such a good support system. My name is Cynthia Denault and I am living proof that donating to HealthPartners works.”