Sherbrooke activist Lisette Joyal, who had been suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) since February 2019, died suddenly on Sunday.
Her husband, the ex-journalist Mario Goupil, is serene. “You can fight two cancers and you can face ALS for 3 years, 1 month and 1 day and be happy. I think Lisette was happy,” he told TVA Nouvelles.
And he was too, although he admits that the last few months have been more difficult.
“I had a hard time getting to the end, it was so difficult. Me, I said that I was a close lover, not a close helper. I loved my wife and took care of her, but I never thought it might be so difficult to face ALS as a close lover.”
The little sister of the artist Chloé Sainte-Marie, who had just celebrated her 62nd birthday on January 26, was known for her determination and her fighting spirit.
In addition to having overcome two cancers, she and her husband Mario Goupil had fought a battle once morest the Quebec government. For months, they tried to convince him to make Edaravone, a drug that slows the progression of ALS, a disease affecting approximately 600 people in Quebec, available.
They finally succeeded since in April 2020, the substance was added to the list of drugs covered by the Quebec drug insurance plan.
This feat makes Chloé Sainte-Marie proud, who admits having struggled to see her sister suffer so much in recent years.
She agreed to share with TVA Nouvelles the tribute she wrote to him:
Resistance
Pain
Resilience
Pain
Triumphant Vital Desire
with each urge of pain.
My little sister Lisette
just won the country
of the rising sun
in full spring awakening.
She had taken it upon herself
disease burden
with the help of her husband
Mario Goupil.
They are the ones who succeeded
for all of Quebec
to be accepted
by the political authorities
the sale of the remedy
allowing to treat
la SLA…maladie de Lou Gehring
Who allowed him with the help
of Mario to prolong his life
more than a year and suddenly
to prolong hope for all.
And today, I, his sister-witness,
I cry with pride for the fight
which she carried out on behalf of all.
Thank you once more for all of Quebec
of what you have done.
All I mean is immense pride
that I feel in front of the greatness of my little sister.
