Maison Rose offers free wraparound care for breast cancer patients in Montreal

The new centre offers free support services to help patients manage the long-term effects of treatment.

They say it’s a North American first. The Maison Rose offers free care for people fighting breast cancer — the most prevalent cancer among women in this province, according to the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.

This new care centre is their initiative, says president and CEO Karine-Iseult Ippersiel.

“Survivorship is now five, 10, 15, 20 years long, and you often live with the side effects of a mastectomy, of radiotherapy, or chemo.”

The Maison Rose offers resources that go beyond medical procedures. The foundation says this kind of “wrap-around care” helps improve health outcomes for patients.

Ippersiel says nutrition is one aspect, “To teach them some recipes that are full of proteins and nutrients so that when you’re tired going through chemo, you can feed yourself properly, so you can make it through properly.”

Plus, physical health and psychosocial wellness — all in one place.

“You’re going through breast cancer treatments. You’d like to go to yoga, but you don’t have a babysitter, and you can’t afford one. So, well, bring your child here. We’ll have volunteers. We have a corner downstairs for children so that they can keep busy,” says Ippersiel.

The Maison Rose also offers services for family members, like appointments with a social worker to talk about what’s really happening.

“How does a family tell their children that mom was going through breast cancer? It’s something important. Anxiety for spouses is very important,” Ippersiel explains.

There are also support groups for patients at different ages and stages of breast cancer.

“Stage 4 breast cancer — they have a different reality. When you’re a stage 4 breast cancer patient, you know, there’s no coming out of it. It’s very heavy. It’s heavy for you, for your family. And to be able to be amongst peers like you is extremely helpful.”

The Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation website has more information about the Maison Rose, located at 1111 Laurier West near Côte-Ste-Catherine in Outremont.

Programs are offered for free for patients, to offer curing and caring for patients along their journey.