Ladies and gentlemen, gather ’round – we’re about to dive into a story that’s got more ups and downs than a trampoline park on a sugar high! The tale of Maxime and Julia is all about love, hope, and relentless determination. One moment they’re planning their happily ever after, and the next, BAM! Life drops a leukemia bomb right at their doorstep.
Now, I don’t mean to alarm you, but illness isn’t exactly a polite dinner guest. When it knocks at the door, it’s usually more of a “surprise! I’ve brought my friends, despair and hopelessness!” And for Maxime, learning that his wife Julia has acute myeloid leukemia (AML) hit harder than a soccer ball to the face – and that’s no exaggeration coming from a player for FC Mondercange! After two years of treatments that worked about as well as an inflatable dartboard, the French doctors threw in the towel. One year left, they said, but Maxime was like, “Not on my watch!”
And so began a race against time that would make even the Flash sweat bullets. You see, our hero Maxime, glamorous as he is, didn’t just sit back and take a dose of woeful resignation with his morning coffee. No, no! He hopped on the internet like a teenager chasing after the latest TikTok trend, scouring the world for a glimmer of hope. Apparently, the only ‘chemotherapy S.O.S.’ anyone would reply to was that lurking in Houston, Texas. Talk about a long-haul flight for love!
But it wasn’t just a straightforward ticket to tumbleweeds and cowboy hats. Maxime discovered that it was going to cost him a cool 250,000 euros for the treatment. Now, if you’re thinking that sounds like the jackpot in a ‘who wants to be a millionaire’ game show – well, it is! But Maxime’s not seeking fame and fortune, he’s appealing to the kindness of strangers through a fundraiser on Leetchi, hoping to raise some cash before the clock strikes midnight on their fairy tale dream.
Acute myeloid leukemia, now there’s a mouthful! If you thought “I’ll have what she’s having” was a common thing, AML proves that everyone’s equally at risk for having life throw them a curveball. With a median age of 70 for diagnosis – let’s just say most of us are still trying to figure out what to do with our life savings by then! Maxime, at the tender age of 28, is confronting a challenge that would rattle even the most seasoned of adults.
Within just five days, he raised over 203,000 euros! It’s like crowdfunding, but with actual stakes – no new coffee shops or startup apps here, folks. This is the kind of effort that draws in the community and sees old club mates rallying behind him, proving that the beautiful game isn’t just about scoring goals – it’s about coming together when things get tough.
As Maxime preps for his October 26 appointment with the renowned MD Anderson Hospital, we can only hope that this turn of fate leads to a well-deserved happy ending. But for now, it’s a story about love, resilience, and fighting against the odds – let’s hope life decides to change its script for once and let this couple write their own ‘happily ever after.’
Maxime & Julia, it’s the beautiful story that life has decided to experience. Only 1 month later “the happiest day of their lives”the dream turns into a nightmare. The illness knocks on the door and the couple can no longer plan for the future, “the sky fell” for Maxime. This is how a race against time begins. After 2 years of treatment, nothing is working and the options are dwindling “chemotherapy after chemotherapy, the bone marrow transplant did not work” explains Maxime Fleury. In France, doctors are resigned (1 year of life expectancy according to them), not Maxime. The 28-year-old man does not want to abandon his wife and is searching the internet to find a solution, no matter where she is on the globe. His research took him to the United States and more precisely to Houston, Texas. An experimental treatment exists, a final glimmer of hope. “This is the last chance to save my wife. This is the last treatment available on this earth.” he explains.
Manage my choices I authorize
In a final gesture of distress, Maxime decided to launch a fundraiser on Leetchi and appeal for solidarity and try everything. 250,000 euros are needed to pay for the operation. A substantial amount and difficult to raise in such a short time “for the common man” as Maxime explains. He then tells his story on the internet with the hope of being listened to and of being able to save the woman of his life.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare disease
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) mainly affects older people. The median age is 70 years old although it can be diagnosed at all ages. It is the most common leukemia in adults and affects around 700 new cases per year in France. It is a disease that is difficult to detect since one in two cases is discovered accidentally.. “The disease can affect everyone, we are all equal in the face of it […] I am obliged to realize this insurmountable challenge. I am obliged to offer this opportunity to my wife.” concludes Maxime.
After 5 days, the prize pool has already raised more than 203,000 euros (this Wednesday, October 23). The couple is currently in the United States and has made an appointment on October 26 with MD Anderson Hospital. Currently a player for FC Mondercange in Luxembourg, he was able to benefit from the support of his two former clubs, OGC Nice and Stade Rennais who shared his story on social networks.
Manage my choices I authorize
Manage my choices I authorize
