A Moving Encounter Between a Patient’s Children and Dr. Fortin’s Team

heir father, Yves Hamel, who had brain cancer, was cared for by neurosurgeon and neuro-oncologist Dr. David Fortin, but sadly passed away in January. Recently, a touching meeting between Dr. Fortin’s team and the late patient’s children took place at the CHUS Research Center.

Yves Hamel, a businessman from Drummondville, was only 62 years old when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a rare and extremely aggressive brain tumor. Initially treated at the Trois-Rivières hospital, he eventually turned to Dr. David Fortin and his team at the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS, who were offering an innovative treatment approach.

"One day, the medical team caring for my father in Trois-Rivières told us that there were no treatment options left," explains Amélie Hamel. "It’s a cancer with very slim chances, but we wanted to hold on to hope. While doing research online, I came across Dr. David Fortin’s work and saw how widely recognized he was. His treatments stood out from those of other doctors and gave us hope. I decided to message him on LinkedIn, not knowing if I’d even get a reply—but he responded quickly."

Dr. Fortin and his team—Marie-Andrée Roy, Gabriel Charest, and Laurent-Olivier Roy — offer a groundbreaking and globally unique technique aimed at extending both the lifespan and quality of life for people with brain tumors. Author of over 100 scientific publications and four books, Dr. Fortin is nationally renowned. In fact, more than half of his patients come from outside Sherbrooke.

Humanity Beyond Science

The first meeting between Dr. Fortin and his new patient took place in May 2024. "The team was incredibly generous in agreeing to take on our father’s case even though he wasn’t initially their patient," says Charles-Antoine Hamel. "We were truly impressed by their work! It felt like receiving private care. It’s rare to meet scientists who are not only that competent but also deeply human and empathetic."

Unfortunately, since Mr. Hamel’s quality of life did not improve sufficiently, stopping the therapy became the best option. Now, nearly four months after their father’s passing, Amélie and Charles-Antoine wanted to meet the team again and, at the same time, present a donation on behalf of DRUMCO Construction, the family company their father founded. An amount of $10,000 was presented to the Fondation du CHUS, which will be dedicated to the Fonds Cœur en tête, whose mission is to support the research carried out by Dr. David Fortin.

"Our father showed remarkable courage and optimism throughout his battle," says Amélie. "He was a true example for all of us! We hope that one day, his optimism will become a real source of hope for others affected by brain cancer."

Research: Key to Progress

Research is essential to better understand the brain, one of the most complex organs. "Some avenues are promising, but there is still much work to be done," emphasizes Dr. Fortin, noting that progress in his research is the result of his entire team’s dedication. "The Hamel family’s donation could very well support the research project of my colleague Laurent-Olivier, which involves extracting the tumor during surgery and conducting tests to determine the medication best suited to the patient’s specific case. This is called personalized medicine."

Neurosurgeon, neuro-oncologist, researcher, and professor at the Université de Sherbrooke, Dr. David Fortin was recently awarded the Presidential Distinction by the Collège des médecins for his outstanding contribution to brain cancer treatment. His fourth book, Allumé, was launched just a few weeks ago!