It's not easy to learn, at 3 years old, that you have a "big, big boo-boo," that you're going to lose your hair, and that you'll only get to see your friends at daycare when you're all better. Thanks to the cutting-edge care at The Children's, Child Life Services, music therapy and a team that knows how to connect with children, Rosalie’s journey has also been marked by precious moments of happiness.

The shocking diagnosis

When Marie-Claude discovered a mass the size of a golf ball on her daughter's clavicle, she immediately knew something was wrong. After ten years as a nurse at The Montreal Children's Hospital, she knew the signs.

Further exams confirmed her fears: Rosalie was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of cancer affecting bones and soft tissue. While waiting to find out if the disease had spread, Marie-Claude left her job to focus on her daughter. 

To help Rosalie understand what was happening to her, she chose simple words. The "big, big boo-boo," would require strong medication and a surgery. At home and in the Hospital, her family even gave nicknames to different medical equipment to help make the unknown a little less scary. 

Nine months of treatment

For several months, Rosalie underwent chemotherapy every two weeks. Certain treatments came with major side effects and required her to be hospitalized for several days at a time. For her mother, this meant months spent in survival mode.

"The next treatment always arrived very quickly," she says. 

One of the biggest challenges was maintaining a balance between Rosalie's needs and the needs of her older sister, Eve. Leaving the hospital room to take care of her other child sometimes broke her heart, but the family made every effort to to maintain their routine and spend time together.

The power of music therapy

From the very start of treatment, Marie-Claude was struck by how the teams tailored their approach to her daughter’s personality. When Rosalie refused to trade her princess tutu for a hospital gown, no one tried to talk her out of it. Instead, the team chose to enter her world to make treatments less intimidating.

The Child Life team also helped make each day a little brighter. Activities, games, crafts and pet therapy offer moments of respite to the whole family.

Among these services, music therapy occupied a special place. When the music therapist entered the room, Rosalie sang, danced and rediscovered her childlike, carefree spirit.

"When I saw her singing and dancing, it made me feel good. Even the nurses would dance. We forgot everything for a moment, it was a party."

For Marie-Claude, these moments were more than a distraction. They help kids stay connected to life and allow parents to remain hopeful.

A unifying battle

As the treatments stretched on, the bond between Marie-Claude and her daughter strengthened. Rosalie learned that she could count on her mother in any circumstance. One day, she said something Marie-Claude will never forget.

"Mommy, even when you're not here, you're always in my heart."

As a parent, Marie-Claude also saw her colleagues in a new light. Beyond their expertise, she valued their compassion, their creativity and their ability to adapt to each child.

Today, grateful for the support she has received, she is involved as a parent partner on the committee working to improve the Children’s hematology-oncology day clinic.

Meanwhile, Rosalie continues to move forward with the same determination that has impressed everyone who has been there for her. After reuniting with her friends at daycare, she is now getting ready to start kindergarten. Despite lingering concerns, her mother sees, above all, a resilient little princess who has never lost her zest for life.