Letter to patients: I am leaving but I am not leaving you

August 1992: I was recruited by the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal to set up a research laboratory in the field of respiratory diseases.

Since I left Quebec in 1983 to continue my research training in San Francisco and working as a researcher, professor and doctor at the University of Calgary, this return was the end of a long scientific and human journey and a return to my roots.

My skills covered the areas of intensive care and fundamental research on pulmonary epithelium (layer of cells that cover the bronchi and alveoli). Quickly, however, Dr. Jeanneret, who was in charge of the cystic fibrosis clinic, pointed out to me that my field of research expertise was very relevant to cystic fibrosis. On the other hand, I had no clinical expertise in the management of this condition. The reason is simple: during my adult pneumology training, there were few or no adults with the disease.

He then offered me to be my mentor and, for nearly 8 months, I accompanied him to the clinic to see what the problems were and the different therapeutic approaches to treat the disease. It was also, for me, a completely new approach to the way I interacted with patients. It is understood that, in the intensive care unit, our interactions with patients were very different due to their health conditions and the nature of their medical problems.

Despite a bit clumsy beginnings that some of you may still remember, I gradually gained confidence. I became an active member of the clinic while developing a program of basic and clinical research in cystic fibrosis.

My clinical activities in the intensive care unit and the cystic fibrosis clinic, research, teaching and finally my involvement with the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (now called Cystic Fibrosis Canada) occupied the following years. In 2003, after a sabbatical year, I decided to stop my clinical activities in intensive care and to devote myself solely to cystic fibrosis research and clinic.

Here we are, 25 years later! I am at a crossroads again. My body has sent me a few signals over the last few years that it can't keep up. I've often told you that you need to listen to the signals your body is sending you. So I have to be consistent with myself and it is time for my “boots to follow my lips”. So, December 18, 2017 was the last day I acted as a doctor at the CHUM's cystic fibrosis clinic.

This great professional adventure was also a great human adventure. The latter would not have been possible without the support, over the years, of my pneumologist colleagues who welcomed me and allowed me to devote myself to research. Thanks to the members of my laboratory and my clinical research team, and the professionals at the clinic and 2nd Le Royer (nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, respiratory therapists, secretaries, clerks, etc.), I was able to live it to the fullest. Without them, it would be impossible to provide quality care and achieve research excellence. However, it is mainly from you that I have learned the most. Your resilience, your ability to live from day to day, your daily struggles to enjoy all the happiness that life can offer us, have allowed me to look at life in a very different way.

I am leaving, but I am not leaving you. You will always be in my heart.

Dr Yves Berthiaume

Retired CHUM doctor

Montreal (Quebec) Canada

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