Paul Boissonneault

It's been two and a half years since I was declared in remission, and I still find this difficult to write.

In March 2023, I was diagnosed with B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. My treatment included six cycles of chemotherapy, multiple rounds of blood work, scans, tests, and various medications to manage pain, sleep, and side effects. The care provided by my Oncology Team at The Ottawa General Hospital was—and continues to be—remarkable.

For Tammy, Matthew, Meredith, and me, this journey isn't over. We live with the awareness that lymphoma may return in some form. While this affects our emotional and mental health at times, it will not define us. We're ready to fight and persevere if needed. What has sustained us most is the phenomenal support we've received—it's been truly amazing.

This October, our family will participate in Light the Night again, an event celebrating survivors, loved ones lost, donors, supporters, and volunteers. This year, I've been asked to be the Honoured Hero at the Ottawa event—a surprise that moved me deeply. I'm proud to share my story and inspire action.

I want to be clear though, I'm not doing this alone as I will forever join our close friends and Family on Team JuliaStrong, named after someone we all love dearly, Julia Miller, who, starting at the age of 12, valiantly fought Acute Myeloid Leukemia for 5 years. Her strength and tenacity to fight continues to be an inspiration to me and helped me stay strong and positive throughout my treatments. Her light still shines brightly within me and in the stars above.

By raising awareness, we can increase funding for research that brings us closer to a cure.

#JuliaStrongForever