“I promised my oncologist that I would not waste the opportunity that she gave me to live.”

At 39, Joy Boudreau was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes.

She began treatment at Scarborough Health Network (SHN) in Dec. 2022, where a team of specialists guided her through every stage of her cancer journey.

“We knew from the onset that the lymph nodes were impacted, so we knew it had already spread,” says Joy. “We shrunk it as much as we could with chemotherapy and then did a lumpectomy with a full axillary node removal.”

As part of her treatment, Joy was also cared for by SHN's Cardio-Oncology Clinic. Some chemo treatments can affect heart health, so the specialized team works alongside oncologists to monitor patients throughout treatment and help them continue their care safely.

Under the care of Dr. Kibar Yared and the Cardio-Oncology team, Joy's heart health was closely monitored throughout her treatment. When she began experiencing heart palpitations and an elevated heart rate, the team provided ongoing monitoring and reassurance, helping ensure she could continue her cancer treatment with confidence.

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“I was sitting down at a restaurant, and my heart rate was 118,” she recalls. Like many patients facing cancer, Joy says the diagnosis affected every aspect of her life.

“A diagnosis like this takes over your life completely,” she says. “You have so many appointments with so many different clinics.” Despite the complexity of her care, Joy says SHN's coordinated approach made all the difference.

“The fact that the three hospitals work together, they're able to put you in quicker by moving you around for flexibility,” she says.

Throughout her treatment, Joy continued working while balancing countless appointments, tests and procedures. What stood out most, however, wasn't just the medical expertise; it was the compassionate care she received.

“I've had the pleasure of being treated by many professional women who are amazing in their fields,” she says. “They are incredible human beings who gave me the utmost care, compassion and time. The nurses at SHN were amazing. They were truly my heroes without capes.”

Today, Joy says she feels like a new version of herself. “I feel amazing,” she says. “I feel like Joy 2.0. …look out world!”

Following the recommendation of her Cardio-Oncology team, she joined a gym and attends exercise classes regularly. When she's not working, she's travelling, dancing, hiking, camping, swimming, seeing live theatre, cheering on Toronto sports teams with her son, riding roller coasters at Universal Studios or attending live car events where she has had the opportunity to drift with friends on the racetrack!

“I am out every single day of the week,” she says. “I do as many fun things as I can handle.”

Her son, she says, "is my whole life." For Joy, SHN represents more than a hospital.

“The quality of care here is second to none. Everyone is so welcoming,” she says. “Everyone is treated here. Everyone is taken care of here.”

To support patients like Joy and oncology care at SHN, click here.