“It’s bright, it’s clear, it’s modern…”. For the very first time since these services moved from Morvan to Cavale-Blanche, in the oncology and imaging institute (ICI), Joël Caraty discovers the new premises of the Espace Christophe. Christophe, the first name of his son, who died at the age of 24 in 1999 from cancer. “This is the 24th year that we have supported oncology at the university hospital center (CHU) of Brest,” underlines the president of the association. The idea was to act as close as possible to the patients and their families, because we realized the gaps that could exist at the time.”
Three major projects supported in 2024
This year, the support for the Challenge is again enormous. Nearly €40,000 in total, which notably made it possible to finance the acquisition of equipment for the sports hall benefiting support care, the fitting out of a waiting room and the purchase of all the furniture for the Espace Christophe family studio.
In it, which he discovers accompanied by several members of the association’s office, Joël Caraty has a pennant, a Challenge trophy and a photo of his son. “It’s gratifying to see that what we do is directly used: people know where the money goes, and what it is used for,” he assures before heading to the gym, fully equipped thanks to the association.
“One of the associative pillars of the CHU”
“You are one of the associative pillars of the CHU,” says Florence Saint-Cas, director of the Innoveo endowment fund. Since the creation of the Challenge, more than €320,000 has been donated to improve the comfort of patients and enable the creation of a space of confidentiality, the purchase of relaxing armchairs or sports equipment. And this year again, the Caraty Challenge will be an opportunity to welcome a remarkable sporting field in Brest, Plougastel-Daoulas and Landerneau. The handball teams of Toulouse, Cesson-Rennes, Dunkerque and Saint-Raphaël for men, and Saint-Grégoire Rennes, Roz Hand’Du 29, Entente Bro Léon and the Brest Bretagne Handball reserve for women, are thus expected on August 15, 16 and 17, 2024. All for a (very) good cause.
