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Cancer patient loses his battle, but thankful for care he received

Prior to his passing from cancer, Mr. Lagacé wrote this letter of appreciation to HSN and Maison Vale Hospice
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Norman Lagacé wrote this letter of appreciation to Health Sciences North and Maison Vale Hospice for the care he received as he battled cancer and at the end of his life.

Ed. Note: Norman Lagacé passed away on Aug. 21. Prior to his passing from cancer, Mr. Lagacé wrote this letter of appreciation to Health Sciences North and Maison Vale Hospice for the care he received as he battled cancer and at the end of his life. Northern Life and Sudbury.com are proud to share Mr. Lagacé’s message with our readers.

In the summer of 2015, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer of the esophagus.

In spite of the fear and confusion that are my daily companions as I deal with this part of my life journey, I remain optimistic. I also feel a profound sense of gratitude for the compassionate care and empathetic treatment that I have received from HSN and the Maison Vale Hospice, and I wish to thank them for their kindness and decency.

The people of the chemotherapy and radiation teams at Health Sciences North — who work with patients like me — are extraordinary humans. Yes, they are “doing their job,” but they do so much more than that. 

In a world obsessed with dollars, statistics and other data, these front-line workers bless the people they care for in innumerable ways — ways that can’t be measured like widget production results. 

The simple act of providing a warm comforter while undergoing four and a half hours of chemotherapy when you have lost so much weight and are chronically cold seems like a small gesture, yet it is a display of caring and decency that in the moment makes all the difference in the world.

My caregivers understand that I am unique. As a result of an automobile accident that occurred in my youth, I have serious issues with my back. The staff always made sure that my special needs were met, and handled my brittle body with gentleness and care as they made me as comfortable as possible.

They are so good at creating, as the Eagles song goes, a “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” that I often forgot where I was and why I was there.

In a time where the world seems to have lost its mind (it hasn’t), it is reassuring to know that there are kind, decent and compassionate people who truly are inspired to make real differences in the lives of real people. I would like to extend a special thank you to Tilly at the Maison Vale Hospice.  

My thanks to her and all the staff and volunteers will never be enough…but it is a start.

Norman Lagacé
Greater Sudbury.