Less than a year ago, 39-year-old Jazz Turgeon and 35-year-old Patrick Haggart were the happiest they’d ever been.
After a challenging IVF journey, the married Montreal couple’s daughter Amelia was born and watching her grow was giving them endless joy.
“I was just so thrilled,” said Turgeon. “It just felt like everything we worked so hard for had finally become reality.”
“Life was good, and then suddenly it wasn’t,” said Haggart.
In January of 2024, the first bit of bad news came. Turgeon went to the doctor after experiencing some dizzy spells and she soon found out she has a brain tumour that’s been growing in her head since childhood.
It’s not cancerous, but doctors say that can change any time.
“It’s almost like I didn’t believe it, which I think is part of the process,” she told Global News. “I was very in shock.”
Just over a month later, on Valentine’s Day, Haggart doubled over with agonizing abdominal pain. He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with appendicitis. During surgery, doctors found something else.
“They told me, ‘You have cancer and you have to do chemotherapy to save your life,'” he recounted.
As Haggart was undergoing treatment for Stage 3 cancer, in June Turgeon’s brain tumour caused her to have a seizure so violent that she broke her back.
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“The contractions of the seizure actually busted my L2 vertebrae, which is a vertebrae in your lower back,” she explained.
After weeks of rehab she’s now able to walk without a walker or cane. Turgeon is now awaiting major brain surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible, but it’s in the part of the brain that governs personality.
There’s no guarantee she’ll wake up the same person.
“That’s where ‘who I am’ lives. So to be told that when you have such a young kid is very hard, because you want your kid to know you,” she said.
Meanwhile, in recent days, Haggart found out his cancer has progressed from Stage 3 to Stage 4.
The treatment plan is set to grow more aggressive.
“My fight is to stay alive, to take care of my daughter and take care of my wife,” said Haggart. “They need me.”
They’re both trying remain hopeful for Amelia, and each other.
“For me, it’s my daughter. She’s everything I ever dreamt of having. She definitely keeps me going,” said Turgeon
They’re well-surrounded by friends and family, and have been assured Amelia will be taken care of no matter what.
“We do have some people that we’ve talked to, my sister in particular,” she said. “I’m not even 40. You know, it’s very strange to tell my husband, ‘In the event of my death, this is what I would like,’ and vice versa.“
Haggart said he never thought he’d need to get his last will and testament in order at age 35.
“We’re hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst, you know?” said Haggart.
Neither can go to work, adding financial stress to the equation. Turgeon says because she only just returned from maternity leave, she was told she hasn’t worked long enough to get paid sick leave.
“My heart really broke in that moment,” she said. “Because I only worked three weeks after getting back from maternity leave, I technically don’t have enough hours to claim sick leave with the government.”
Employment and Social Development Canada did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Friends have launched a GoFundMe to help the family. They’ve been heartened by the outpouring of support.
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