The first time I met her, I was speechless: she was like a tornado when everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. With her little curls and her glasses falling on the tip of her nose, she entered the hospital room like a breath of fresh air, while everyone else was looking down. I'm not sure that at that precise moment, I had managed to assimilate all the information transmitted. But one thing was certain: I had just found myself a new ally.

The acceptance process was long, but Dr. Huot knew how to find the words at each step to bring me back on the right path. With her, there is no question of feeling sorry for yourself. She had the gift of transforming small dramas into lessons.

She made me understand that I was not alone. During one of the first appointments after the hospitalization, she slipped a leaflet to my parents: Camp Carowanis, a summer camp for young diabetics. I'll let you guess where I ended up the following summer... Thrust far from home, a thousand miles from my comfort zone, I was destabilized by this new relationship that I had developed with my diabetes, I who had always preferred to hide it. To everyone's surprise, I returned for eight more years during which I forged lifelong bonds, in addition to helping the youngest to accept their condition.

The summer I was fifteen, Dr. Huot submitted my name to participate in an exchange between Switzerland and Quebec. I jumped right into the adventure to discover the reality of diabetics elsewhere in the world. These enriching experiences have shaped the fulfilled and confident young woman that I am.

A researcher interested in the prevention and treatment of diabetes in children and adolescents, Dr. Huot has always remained on the lookout for the latest advances. In her encouraging tone, she often spoke to me about new technologies… As if the cure was about to be revealed! She had the patience to respond to my parents’ incessant concerns. As soon as the atmosphere became heavy, she defused it with her sense of humor. In times of uncertainty, her listening and empathy are surely what gave me the courage to move forward.

If I write in the past tense, it is because since I was 18, I left the CHU Sainte-Justine to go to the adult world. Since then, I have never seen this doctor again whom I appreciated so much. But I am certain that even today, she knows how to inspire other young people to live a better life, even with diabetes. Whether in her laboratory or in her office, she works small miracles to help sick children. This woman of science has my complete admiration and I know that with her dedication, she will encourage other young women, perhaps diabetics, to follow in her footsteps.

Thank you, Dr. Huot, for giving me this confidence in life!