September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to reflect and build awareness of children affected by cancer, and how it also affects their families.
Meet Louna Kadoch. A mom of three from Montreal who was working as a social worker, specifically helping grieving parents who lost their babies. Everything was normal until August 18, 2022 when life as she knew it changed dramatically. Her daughter, Miriam Lia, was diagnosed with a rare 24-inch neuroblastoma. With no warning signs pre-diagnosis, Louna and her family were shocked, scared and felt lost. One would think that as a social worker who specializes in areas similar to this situation, Louna would know how to handle this. But when put in the position herself, she just did not know what to do. So when loved ones told her to reach out to Chai Lifeline Canada, that’s what she did, despite not knowing what to even say.
Immediately, Chai Lifeline Canada was a huge support to the Assouline family — volunteers delivered meals to their home, Miriam and her siblings were given gifts, Miriam always had volunteers keeping her company and distracted in the hospital, and Louna was even connected to a support group of mothers going through similar situations.
With Chai Lifeline Canada’s help, Louna and her family were able to solely focus on Miriam, giving her the love and care she needed. Miriam was full of life, full of love, full of heart, and full of generosity and kindness. Everyone who met her fell in love with her. The perfect example of her generosity and kindness was through the cards she made while in the hospital.
Since Miriam was passionate about art, Chai Lifeline Canada provided her with art lessons at home. She took the skills from those lessons, and despite going through a major health challenge herself, created Get Well cards for other kids on her floor. Chai Lifeline Canada even took her cards and turned them into a former initiative, Miriam’s Wishes for Chai.
A few months after getting diagnosed, Miriam was scheduled to have an 11 hour surgery to help treat the neuroblastoma by her adrenal gland. The surgery turned into an 18 hour surgery and then into the last hours of her life. On December 18, 2022, Miriam sadly lost her battle with cancer.
Now, nearly two years later, Louna is channeling her grief into an educational and emotional podcast called Out of Order. She chose the name because it is not normal for a parent to lose a child, no matter when they pass away. The episodes feature mothers sharing their personal stories of loss and pain from losing a child, and their journey towards healing. They also touch on the societal challenges these mothers endured, such as the pressure to move on, and the lack of understanding from those who haven’t experienced such a loss. The episodes are emotional, but important, as they help create awareness around the grieving process, which is something Louna hopes people take away from the podcast. Other lessons people may learn from the episodes include the importance of empathy towards grieving parents, not pity, as well the significance of compassion and support. But the most important takeaways Louna hopes for is that people will feel inspiration and comfort, because those are what Miriam’s Get Well cards offered.
Before Miriam went into surgery, she told her mother, “Life doesn’t fall apart, Mom; it falls into place.” If there’s one message to take from Miriam's story, it’s that.
Although Miriam’s Wishes for Chai has ended, her legacy lives on through the friendships and smiles she created with her cards. May Miriam’s memory be a blessing, an inspiration, and a source of comfort to all.
Toronto
300A Wilson Ave.
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 1S8
Phone: 647.430.5933
Fax: 416.628.1597
Montreal
4900 Jean Talon Ouest, #220 Montreal, Quebec H4P 1W9
Phone: 514.667.7041
1 (800) 556-6238
[email protected]
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At Chai Lifeline Canada we are passionately devoted to alleviating the burden of those facing medical challenge. From the moment of diagnosis, through the arduous months and years, in good times and bad, Canadian families have discovered that Chai Lifeline Canada is a friend for life.
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Toronto
300A Wilson Ave. Toronto, Ontario, M3H 1S8
Phone: 647.430.5933
Montreal
4900 Jean Talon Ouest, #220 Montreal, Quebec H4P 1W9
Phone: 514.667.7041
Crisis Intervention
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (800) 556-6238