Childhood Cancer Survivor Now Pediatric Resident to Ski 24h Tremblant

Racine was diagnosed at age 8 with plexiform fibromatosis, a rare solid tumor that affects soft tissues. She credits medical research with helping doctors develop a treatment plan for her condition.

“The research was really helpful for me,” Racine said. “The fact that there were case reports published in other countries about similar tumors helped the oncologists guide my treatment.”

The tumor was located on her chest wall, impacting the muscles between her ribs, her pectoral muscles, and even breast tissue, despite her young age.

Racine underwent an initial surgery to remove the tumor, but it returned three months later.

Fortunately, a second surgery was successful, and the young patient went into remission – a remission that lasted for a decade. All of her follow-up care and surgeries were performed at CHU Sainte-Justine hospital.

While Racine never feared the cancer would return, she struggled with self-confidence during her teenage years. The removal of the tumor required the removal of breast tissue from her left side.

“I didn’t realize at 8 years old that I had lost my left breast and would never have one again,” she said. “That was difficult during adolescence.”

She underwent several reconstructive surgeries over the years.

A Calling to Medicine

Even before her diagnosis, Racine was fascinated by the hospital environment. From age four, she knew she wanted to be a doctor.

“Going through it definitely reinforced that choice,” she said. “I never questioned my career path.”

She initially faced challenges entering medical school due to her grades, and pursued a degree in occupational therapy. She was eventually accepted into medical school in her fourth year of studies, and specialized in pediatrics.

“Some people say pediatrics is difficult and they would never do it. For me, it’s easier than working with an elderly person who is alone in the hospital.”

“Children are so resilient. The innocence of childhood makes it easier to face these challenges. There’s a way to distract them, to examine them while playing.”

Now 28, Racine is a second-year resident at Sainte-Justine Hospital, the same facility where she was once a patient. She is considering specializing further in hematology-oncology to treat children with cancer.

Having gone through the experience herself, Dr. Racine believes it helps her “understand the journey, the diagnosis, and everything that entails.” She added, “I think it changes my approach with patients.”

“It Really Changes Lives”

Racine discovered the 24h Tremblant in 2009 when her father participated with friends. Three years later, she joined the team for the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, comprised of young people and siblings of children who had been affected by cancer.

“I met many sponsored children and became close to them, and I would see them outside of the 24h Tremblant. There are so many beautiful stories. For example, there’s my friend Émilie, who I started the 24h with. We did it together for three years, and she passed away in 2015. I raised $12,840 that year, for Émilie.”

Dr. Racine describes the 24h Tremblant as “the most beautiful fundraising event in Quebec.” This weekend will mark her 14th participation, and as a physician, she now witnesses firsthand the impact of the funds raised each year. The event’s success underscores the importance of continued support for pediatric cancer research.

“The 24h Tremblant is written all over Sainte-Justine. It really changes lives.”

She points out that while leukemia has a 95% survival rate, that is not the case for all childhood cancers. “One child is diagnosed with cancer every day in Quebec, and we lose about one per week.”

This weekend, Racine will ski as part of the Guérison team for the Charles-Bruneau Foundation.

She will ski for Zoé-Lou, 2, the daughter of a friend who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease at birth.

She will ski for all of her patients – those who are still fighting, and those who are no longer with us.