My son-in-law Gil Racicot lost his fight with brain cancer
Gil learned 3 years ago that he had cancer of the Larynx. He was treated with radiation and chemo and that gave him another year cancer free. Then the big C came back again with an attack on the brain. Radiation, chemo and medications followed but this deadly disease wouldn’t go away. In early January 2011 it spread to his lungs and kidneys and all that could be done was to make him comfortable. On January 22nd at 11:30 am Gil lost his fight with cancer while sleeping peacefully. He was 40 years old.
Gil leaves behind his wife Jennifer (my daughter), son Ryan (who will be 8 next month) and Sara (6 and a half years old). He will be sadly missed.
Gil received excellent medical treatment during his fight with cancer. The staff at the Ottawa Cancer Clinic provided personalized treatment for him. Our family doctor (Dr. Nancy Clevette) did everything possible to minimize the pain and to accommodate his wish of wanting to die at home. The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and the Ottawa Senators Hockey Team hosted Ryan, Sara and their Mom at a practice, as well as at an NHL game (of course Gil was invited as the guest of honor but by that time the cancer has made him too weak to attend).
A particularly heart-warming support that Gil received one month earlier from a group called The Angels Anonymous Connection, a privately funded organization http://www.angelsanonymous.org/. This group of volunteers help terminally ill adults realize their last wish in a way that the children will have fond and lasting memories of their time together. Gil’s last wish was to see the Rocky mountains with his family. So Angels Anonymous arranged to fly the family on December 22nd from Ottawa to Calgary, then provided transportation by car to Banff, Alberta. They stayed in a hotel in Banff until December 29th when they returned to Ottawa. During the trip they all went up in a cable car to see the mountains at close range. While in Banff, Ryan and Sara pushed their Dad in a wheel chair to visit the shops and to see local attractions. Ryan always volunteered to look after his Dad when his Mom and sister went out to do souvenir shopping. Jennifer took lots of pictures of the trip which Ryan and Sara will treasure all their lives. They will always remember the wonderful last trip they had with their Dad and Mom, together as a family.
We are so fortunate to live in Canada where excellent medical facilities are available at affordable rates and there are caring people who bring sunshine into the lives of people who are facing difficult times.
On Saturday at 2 pm family and friends will gather at St. Margaret Mary’s Church for a memorial service to say goodbye to Gil. This is the Church where Sara was baptized in the arms of her Mom and Dad by Fr. John and where both have been attending Children’s liturgy. Fr. John will be the celebrant. Our focus now is on Ryan and Sara to ensure that they adjust to the void in their life and that they say goodbye to their Dad in an environment that they are familiar with.
Fittingly, one of Gil’s relatives with sing:
“Time to say goodbye.
Places that I've never seen or experienced with you.
Now I shall, I'll sail with you upon ships across the seas,
Seas that exist no more
it's time to say goodbye”.
Frank Hegyi is co-author of the book: “Death can Wait – Stories from Cancer Survivors” He is a cancer Survivor. For further information see www.hegyipublications.com
