No Reg rets Joannie Rochette’s mother sacrificed every- thing—including her own health—while her daughter rose to become an Olympic athlete. Joannie now hopes her mother’s death can help save other women. b y C h r i s t i n e L a n g l o i s .

PH o t o : J u l i e n F a u g è r e 45 athletic daughter—but seemed blind Joannie was a toddler when she to her own needs. “My mother was first donned skates and took to the my biggest supporter, my biggest frozen river, skating around the ice- fan,” she says. “But I wish she would fishing huts. Her talent was obvious have taken better care of herself.” from early on, and by age 13 she was The family lived in Ile Dupas, a vil- living in Trois-Rivières to train dur- lage on a tributary of the St. Lawrence ing the week and coming home on River, 90 kilometres northeast of the weekend. Although she was away . Joannie’s father, Normand, from her family, her mother was a worked at various construction jobs, constant presence at her competi- and Thérèse worked as a caregiver in tions and the two spoke frequently Joannie Rochette, with her biggest supporter a seniors’ home until a back injury— on the phone when they were apart. and closest confidante—her mother, Thérèse. the result of a car accident in 2002— Thérèse eventually became Joannie’s forced her to quit. manager, working four or five hours

“We never thought it was her heart she lose her composure. She skated off ’s no. 1 Killer that was going wrong. We just never the ice and broke down, sobbing in her It’s a small comfort, but all cancer fatalities in The report also makes thought about the heart,” figure coach’s arms. Joannie went on to cap- Joannie Rochette now women, combined. special mention of the skater Joannie Rochette says softly, ture bronze after the free-skate event. knows that her mother In its 2010 report on risks to young women her voice husky with emotion. Last It was not how she imagined her was not alone in ignoring the state of Canadians’ age 20 to 34. Out of February, two days before the 24- Olympic story unfolding. “You always her risk of heart disease. heart health, the Heart 3.4 million Canadian year-old skater was set to perform at think these things happen to other Dr. Chris Glover, a cardi- and Stroke Foundation women who are in this the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter people. You never think they will hap- ologist at the University issued a dire warning age group, one million Games, her mother, Thérèse, died of pen to you,” she says. But in the same of Ottawa Heart Insti- about an impending ex- are overweight, more a massive heart attack. way she found the courage to step tute, sees women all the plosion of heart-disease than 800,000 smoke A year later, Joannie is coming to onto the ice in Vancouver, she’s now time who are shocked cases. Titled “A Perfect and about 1.7 million are terms with how she and so many finding the courage to share her story when he tells them there Storm,” the report inactive. “These are the others—including Thérèse herself— in a bid to help other families avoid is something wrong with blames this imminent women we might see could have missed the clear signs of the pain she’s living with. their hearts. “They just upsurge on the huge in cardiologists’ offices serious heart disease. Teaming up with the University of never consider it,” he increases in major risk within this decade,” Joannie’s loss played out on the Ottawa Heart Institute, Joannie has says. While most doctors factors for both men and says Dr. Beth Abram- world stage: News media covering the launched the “I Heart Mom” cam- now realize the risks, women at younger and son, cardiologist at St. “women themselves younger ages. Between Michael’s Hospital in To-

Games speculated about whether grief paign to raise awareness about heart e t t e consistently underesti- 1994 and 2005, among ronto and spokesperson would force her to withdraw from the disease in women. “If my story can ch mate their risk.” people 35 to 49 years for the Heart and Stroke competition. Then millions watched help someone like my mother, I’ll tell i e R o Today, heart disease old, the prevalence of Foundation. “As a soci- as she delivered a flawless perform- it,” she says. nn is the leading health high blood pressure in- ety, we need to support ance in the short program. Her face a threat among Canadian creased 127 percent, that women at all ages in re- mask of sadness, she nailed every Joannie’s story is of a singular talent women and is the cause of diabetes increased 64 ducing their risk of heart t e s y J o a jump. Only when the music stopped nurtured by a hard-working mother r of a third of all female percent and obesity, 20 disease.”

and the crowd roared its approval did who sought every advantage for her C o u deaths—more than percent. Christine Langlois

46 readersdigest.ca 0 2 / 1 1 47 a day on her daughter’s skating ping for the occasion, splurging un- career. characteristically on a new coat that Joannie on the podium after Raising an elite skater is a hugely cost $500. “I was so happy she bought receiving the bronze medal expensive project that can cost a it,” Joannie says. “I told her she didn’t in women’s family thousands of dollars a year. need to worry about me anymore. at the Vancouver 2010 While Normand took on extra jobs, She should do things for herself.” Olympic Winter Games. Thérèse fundraised to keep her daugh- A few weeks before the Olympics, ter in training. She canvassed local Thérèse was experiencing numbness businesses for sponsorships and held and tingling in her arm, and pain in regular spaghetti-dinner events in the her shoulder—classic signs of heart community. In the early years, money disease that neither she nor her family was always tight. When the family members recognized. She told Joan- couldn’t afford the services of a sports nie she would see a doctor after the psychologist who would help Joannie Games and, in the interim, she went analyze her performance, Thérèse to a clinic and got a shot of cortisone bought a video camera instead, re- for her sore shoulder. cording her daughter’s practices so the On the afternoon of her death, two of them could do their own analy- Thérèse was so exhausted that she had sis at home in the living room. to rest on a public bench before she could walk the rest of the way to the Mother and daughter were incredibly condo where she and Normand were close, driven by their common goal of staying. That night, just as Normand Joannie winning an Olympic medal. was climbing into bed next to Thérèse, But when it came to health and life- he heard what sounded like her cough- style, the pair couldn’t have been ing. When he looked over, he realized more different. While Thérèse made she wasn’t breathing. A friend who sure her daughter trained properly, was staying with them tried CPR, but got enough rest and ate only whole- got no response. Thérèse was gone. some food, she didn’t follow the same She was 55. rules herself. She avoided fruits and vegetables, never exercised and For Joannie, what happened the next gained weight—especially after her day is a blur. Her father came to the car accident. She also smoked heav- Olympic Village early in the morning ily, a habit she picked up when she to give her the news. Later, her boy- was 12. It was the cigarettes that both- ered Joannie the most. “A lot of people in my family smoke. We had 2009 AP/CP so many fights about it,” she says. Online r

readersdigest.ca/february k e

Joannie remembers how excited a Get 17 heart-healthy meal ideas. her mother had been before heading k B ar

to Vancouver. She’d even gone shop- M

48 readersdigest.ca 0 2 / 1 1 49 friend was allowed to join her in the er’s death, she can’t help but think heart disease seriously—and to pay village. “That first day I didn’t want about the circumstances surrounding attention to their symptoms. She also What can three to come out of my room. I just kept what happened: the family history of wants to assist in raising funds for Months Do for the door closed,” she says. heart disease (her maternal grand- the University of Ottawa Heart Insti- You? But even in her grief, she knew she father suffered a heart attack at 50) tute’s research work, which will help had a decision to make. Her short- and her mother’s less-than-healthy families like hers, in which heart dis- Since her mother’s death, a huge program performance was two days lifestyle. ease may be hereditary. “I’m doing it source of comfort for Joannie away. Should she stay in the competi- Joannie found a note in Thérèse’s for me, to find a bit of comfort. And Rochette has been the remark - tion? She couldn’t think and she wallet shortly after her death, detail- I’m motivated to help mothers to be able improvement in the health of her father, Normand. Even before didn’t know what to do. The person ing some of the symptoms she was healthy for their kids,” she says. Thérèse’s death, Normand had de - who had always been her closest con- experiencing—perhaps in anticipa- cided to make big lifestyle changes, fidante, who had guided her through including quitting smoking. Last many of her toughest decisions, Now a spokesperson for the “I Heart Mom” campaign, year, he learned from his doctor wasn’t there to help this time. that his cholesterol was high and But in the end, her mother’s guid- Joannie is determined to continue that he needed to start taking medi - ance still made the difference. Three cation. No more summer camping years earlier, the sudden death of her following her mother’s mantra of “No regrets.” trips with “big steaks and beer,” training partner had left Joannie reel- As an athlete, she knows the bene- Joannie says with a smile. ing and struggling to get back to the tion of her post-Olympic visit to the fits of a healthy lifestyle and she Normand was determined to ice—until Thérèse spoke up. “My doctor. Each was a telltale sign of wants others to get these benefits as - improve his health without medi mom said that [my partner] would heart disease. “I can’t believe we well. She’s also determined to con- cation: He told the doctor he’d want me to do whatever I needed to didn’t think of it,” she says, then tinue following her mother’s advice come back in three months with do to skate,” Joannie explains. “She shakes her head. “I just try to think of of “No regrets.” his numbers under control—and could be a little bit tough sometimes.” my mother in happier times.” “I’m really glad I had her for those he succeeded. He improved his diet Joannie also considered her moth- As a spokesperson for the “I Heart 24 years,” she says. “My mom did her (“He was looking up healthy recipes er’s favourite mantra. “She always said Mom” campaign, Joannie hopes to job well. She raised me as best she on the Internet,” says Joannie) and ‘No regrets,’” Joannie says. What her encourage women to take the risks of could.” started running every day. In three mother meant was: Choose a course of months he lost 30 pounds. When he action that won’t lead to a missed op- went back to the doctor, his chol - portunity. Joannie took this advice to esterol levels were normal and he S u r v e y S ay s … didn’t need medication. heart in Vancouver. The next day, she “I was so proud of him,” Joannie got back on the ice and practised. And People fear speaking in public more than death, says. “It’s a good story about how to her amazement, she was still land- studies reveal. “Which means,” Jerry Seinfeld lifestyle can improve your num - ing her jumps. She realized she could points out, “that if you have to be at a funeral, bers,” she says. “I want people to perform despite her grief. “You find you would rather be in the casket than doing know that three months can make a the strength,” she says. the eulogy.” n big difference.” a “According to a survey,” says Robert De Niro, n Now, Joannie knows she made the a “women are more comfortable undressing in front right choice to compete—she has no ch of men than in front of women. They say that regrets. And while she is also working women are too judgemental, where of course men i g e l b u

hard to come to terms with her moth- n are just grateful.” Submitted by Ben Broughton

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