“Valérie fought until the end”: municipal councilor Jean-François Gosselin pays tribute to his deceased little sister

A woman of many talents, Valérie Gosselin, little sister of Quebec city councilor Jean-François Gosselin, died Sunday at the age of 47, after having lived fully and courageously fought cystic fibrosis.

At 4 months old, when he was diagnosed with the terrible illness, the infant had a life expectancy of only four to five years.

“The doctors told us not to get too attached because she wouldn’t live a year! All her life, my sister managed to live longer and do a lot of things. She said that all her battles would serve to advance medical research,” Mr. Gosselin told Journalwith tremolos in the voice.

Defying the darkest predictions, Valérie Gosselin will have succeeded in leading several lives. She was in turn an emeritus student, psychologist, author, elite synchronized swimmer, recipient of the first Force AVENIR scholarship, entrepreneur, founder and owner of the Amis-Maux family clinic, speaker and astronomy enthusiast.

With complete clarity

In a video posted three years ago on her YouTube channel, she detailed the complications surrounding her medical condition.

“I do everything from my bed,” she said lucidly, recalling her long medical isolation since her liver transplant in 2010. Immunosuppressed, she was vulnerable to infections. She described her heavy daily treatments: 57 pills to swallow, 5 to 6 insulin injections, a 40-minute respiratory therapy treatment and oxygen goggles to wear every night to help her lungs.

Maintaining hope and confidence in a better tomorrow, she spoke enthusiastically about the arrival of a new drug – Trikafta – which would help her improve her quality of life.

Moving testimony

Watching her videos and reading the moving testimony published on Facebook by her brother, we can emerge from the portrait of a fighting woman who enjoyed life to the fullest and who refused to feel sorry for herself.

“Despite her terrible illness which condemned her to die young from birth, Valérie fought until the end. She fought for herself, for us, for all children/adults also affected by cystic fibrosis,” wrote Mr. Gosselin.

Referring to his sister’s love for animals, he added that the deceased “always pushed the limits that others often set for her. She had no limits, she only had dreams and she found a way to live them. Let us remember her legendary smile, her good humor, the hope she created around her.”

Last Thursday, the family experienced “a magical moment”. After months of hospitalization, Valérie had a sudden burst of energy which allowed her to share a meal (Crêpes from McDonald’s) with her parents and her brother. She smiled at Jean-François’ jokes and was able to exchange tender glances with her dog Marguerite, who had received exceptional permission from the hospital to accompany her mistress until the end.