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Sainte-Justine’s Tree of Lights

Sainte-Justine’s Tree of Lights has been a cherished holiday fixture since 2008, bringing joy and comfort to the children and families who are confined to the hospital during this special time of year.

Year after year, thousands of generous, kind-hearted people across Quebec come together to light the Tree, each $5 bulb sending a powerful message of hope and solidarity. The funds raised allow the teams at CHU Sainte-Justine to pursue scientific and technological innovations, to help transform the lives of children.

In addition to delivering a powerful message of hope and comfort, donations help Sainte-Justine’s Social Services Department provide much-needed assistance to families thrust into the uncertainty and vulnerability of life with a sick child. Fortified by this moral and financial support, parents can focus their energy on what really matters: their child’s care and recovery.

Wishes of Hope

Some of the heartening messages shared with the children and families spending the holidays at Sainte-Justine:

Light the Way for Them

Spotlight on the Unstoppable Baptiste

Baptiste’s story is one you won’t soon forget. Neither will he. He sustained serious burns in a fire that engulfed his entire body in flames. But Baptiste is a fighter. His spirit of resilience, coupled with the support of his family and the teams at Sainte-Justine, helped him get back on his feet, stronger than ever. He made a stunning comeback, like the true athlete he is.

“The goal was just to keep moving forward… No looking back,” says Baptiste.

Learn more about Baptiste’s incredible journey and join him in making the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights shine bright.

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Fred Pellerin and his daughter Marie-Fée

“Go home tonight and open up your Christmas presents. We’ll see you back here first thing tomorrow morning.” And just like that, on December 24, 2019, Sainte-Justine entered into the lives of Marie-Fée Pellerin and her family. The “horrifying” results of a scan performed in Trois-Rivières the day before left them no choice but to cut short their holiday celebrations and make a beeline for Sainte-Justine. The diagnosis: stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Marie-Fée Pellerin and her father, Fred Pellerin, are proud ambassadors of the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights. For all the families like theirs from across the province who are counting on Sainte-Justine, please join us in making the Tree of Lights shine brighter than ever this year.

NORD-DU-QUÉBEC

Jacob, 3

Jacob was only a year and a half old when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia with a specific mutation. It’s a rare type of cancer and one that’s difficult to treat.

Despite three rounds of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant from his father at the Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau du CHU Sainte-Justine, the cancer spread to 80% of his little body.

The doctors at Sainte-Justine found one last hope: an experimental treatment in Toronto. Finally, things were looking up for Jacob.

Today, he’s in remission and back home in Kuujjuaq. And his smiles are lighting up the lives of everyone around him.

Thank you for giving Jacob back his childhood with your gift to the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights.

SAGUENAY–LAC-SAINT-JEAN

Jennily, 10

Six weeks after she was born, Jennily was transferred from Chicoutimi to Sainte-Justine. She was suffering from biliary atresia. An obstruction was causing bile to build up in her liver.

She immediately underwent a procedure to connect a part of her bowel to her liver. The results seemed promising. But a few years later, in 2023, her liver began to fail, and her lungs started showing signs of distress.

After several months of forced bed rest, waiting for a compatible donor to be found, Jennily received the most precious gift of all: a new liver.

The transplant has given her a new lease on life. Now she has two important dates to celebrate every year: her birthday and her re-birthday.

Thank you for supporting the Tree of Lights and putting a special twinkle in Jennily’s eyes

MAURICIE

Baptiste, 16

In June 2024, Baptiste, a Shawinigan native, was the victim of a major fire in a garage, sustaining third-degree burns to 45% of his body.

He was rushed to Sainte-Justine, where he was kept in a medically induced coma for two months. That was followed by three months in intensive care and seven operations, including multiple skin grafts.

He was then moved to the Marie Enfant Rehabilitation Centre, where he stayed until January 2025. He had to learn how to stand up, walk, eat and write all over again.

The personification of resilience, Baptiste has now recovered 90% of his physical function and embraces what makes him different. He is, above all, grateful to be alive.

Your donations to the Tree of Lights are helping Baptiste get back on his feet. Thank you for illuminating his path.

LANAUDIÈRE

Jordanne, 18

Jordanne has been living with a severe and complex form of Crohn’s disease since she was small. It has affected her digestive system and led to arthritis, chronic pain and other complications.

She sees no fewer than nine specialists at Sainte-Justine on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, none of the available treatments has stabilized her condition yet. Her only hope is further research. And she’s playing an active role on this front.

This year, the Tree of Lights will turn 18, and so will Jordanne. She is certainly no stranger to life within the four walls of Sainte-Justine.

For young patients like Jordanne whose journey is a long one, the Tree of Lights is a beacon of inspiration. Thank you for making it glow with your lights.

INSPIRING ALLIES

Making Hope Shine, Together

Left to right: Marie-Claude Barrette, Anouk Meunier, Fred & Marie-Fée Pellerin, and Guy A. Lepage.

Sainte-Justine can come into a family’s life in the matter of a moment. The allies who choose to join forces with us have experienced this first-hand. They are committed to reaching out across the province and getting people to support the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights. Because no child should have to spend the holidays in the hospital.