Spotlight on Jean Lelievre:

Fulfilling my dreams in spite of multiple myeloma!

October 2023

My wife Martine Pronovost and me in 2021.

My name is Jean Lelievre and I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in June 2021 at the age of 65.

My wife and I have been living in St-Adèle, in the Laurentians (QC) since 2019 and before that, we were living in Montreal’s Maisonneuve neighbourhood.

Montreal was my playground. I would ride about 40 kilometres every weekend for a total of 80 kilometres a week. I became very familiar with the parks in the city, especially Mount Royal and Maisonneuve. I would leave our condo early in the morning for what I called "my urban explorations".

My itinerary for the day would vary based on the park I wanted to visit, the graffiti artwork I wanted to see, and the snack I was craving. I would ride roughly 25 kilometres on Saturdays and 15 kilometres on Sundays. I would also walk around Maisonneuve Park 3 times a week for an additional 24 kilometres a week. So, as you might have guessed it, I was in pretty good shape! So much so, that, as my family doctor would say, I could make several young men in their 20’s jealous.

Martine and me on a summer trip in 2019.

In 2019, my wife and I made the decision to take more time for ourselves and move to St-Adèle.

Why St-Adèle you ask? 240 kilometres of trails, 3 golf courses, 3 ski hills, trails for fat biking, organized activities, a village with all amenities and more than 200 restaurants less than 12 kilometres from our house.

It’s nirvana!! It’s a year-round vacation, and with retirement, it's Saturday every day.

In the spring of 2021, following a hike with our dog Charlie, I thought I had pinched the sciatic nerve in my right leg.

Unfortunately, even after several physio treatments, the pain was worsening. Following a scan, the doctors discovered a major fracture in my femur, and I was hospitalized for surgery.

It seems that you have to be quite strong to fracture a femur, so out of concern, the medical team did some biopsies, which led to my multiple myeloma diagnosis.

In just a few weeks, my bones were breaking everywhere.

Myeloma is no joking matter!

That August, I started my treatments in preparation for an autologous stem cell transplant which took place in February of 2022. Despite the pandemic, the medical team stayed the course. I owe them many thanks.

At the end of my follow-up consultation, the oncologist’s pivot nurse handed me a Myeloma Canada brochure. Very interested, I checked out their website. I learned a lot about myeloma, and was referred to a support group in the Laurentians that was just being created. It’s a small and emerging group for myeloma patients and caregivers in the region that really deserves to be known. Their meetings, conferences and sharing motivated me to get involved.

Last year, I missed the Montreal Multiple Myeloma March. I was very disappointed, especially because I was training to get back to doing some physical activity, something I truly miss.

This year, our Laurentians support group decided to organize our own little March, with help from Myeloma Canada.

My daughter Chloé, myself and my son Marc-Olivier at the very first Laurentians Multiple Myeloma March in 2023.

Véronica Gill organized her team of volunteers that included Martine Pronovost (my wife), Martine Desmeules, Samia Djellali, myself, and Patricia Célestin and Karine Gravel from Myeloma Canada.

A great little team for a first March in the region.

After going through a very difficult June and July, I took the time to start training again. My challenge was to do the 5 kilometres on September 9^th. I wished us a successful event and good weather.

On the morning of the Laurentians Multiple Myeloma March, I didn't think I would be able to make it and/or meet my 5-kilometre goal.

The start of the 2023 Laurentians Multiple Myeloma March with my friends Jean Létourneau (on my right) and Anna Zhao (on my left), and Charlie.

But my family, the volunteers, and my teammates were my inspiration, and we all succeeded, together.

What’s more, our event on September 9^th gave me what I needed…the confidence and that little push to continue staying active.

Me and Charlie taking a break after a long day of landscaping work in 2022.

Today, my dog and I are training to do 10 kilometres every 2 days, and it's going well.

It’s very motivating to succeed, in spite of my multiple myeloma…

I’m where I want to be, and I’m happy.

Jean

To find a local support group in your area, or for information on how to start one, click here or contact Michelle Oana, Myeloma Canada’s Director of Development and Community Relations at moana@myeloma.ca.

We hope you enjoy meeting our 2023 Spotlight Stars and your fellow Myeloma Canada community members. The Spotlight section of Myeloma Matters features stories and reflections supplied by members of our community - those living with myeloma, caregivers, healthcare professional - in their words. The views expressed and shared are those of that individual. We recognize that everyone’s journey and experience with myeloma is different.

To all of you who have shared your stories in the past, and those of you who continue to do so today, we are indebted...you are an inspiration.

If you would like to share your experience in a future issue of Myeloma Matters, please contact us at contact@myeloma.ca.

To donate to Myeloma Canada

please visit myeloma.ca or call us toll-free at 1-888-798-5771.

Donate here

Si vous préférez recevoir vos communications en français, écrivez-nous à contact@myelome.ca.

Myeloma Canada's mission: To improve the lives of Canadians impacted by myeloma through awareness-building, educational efforts, advocacy, fostering an empowered myeloma community and support of clinical research so that a cure may be found.