A Firefighter and a Police Officer Fundraiser
One Shared Fight for Life
Overview:
It is a 200 Km Cycling event to support the TIL Study.
Saturday May 30 2026
from 7 AM.
Departure: Parc Jeanne-Mance, Montréal, QC.
Arrival: Mont Rougemont, St-Damase, QC.
You can support this initiative by making a donation to the CHUM foundation here.
Sylvain Berthiaume
Event Background
Sylvain Berthiaume served as a firefighter for the municipality of Saint-Damase from 1996 to 2016. Throughout his career, he was deeply involved not only in fighting fires alongside his fellow firefighters, but also in the community through various activities. Sylvain was a man of action — straightforward, committed, and honest — always ready to lend a helping hand. The uniform always held an important place in his family. The values it represents were an integral part of his son's upbringing and remain core to the values his son upholds every day.
Just like his father (a firefighter) and his brother (a police officer), Johnathan followed in their footsteps by becoming a police officer in 2014. Sylvain was not only a father, but also a best friend and number one advisor to his sons — always ready to listen, encourage, and support them. He was a true role model.
In July 2025, Sylvain was hospitalized for jaundice and back pain. The first doctors suspected a gallstone. On July 10, 2025, following medical imaging tests, the diagnosis came: Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma — a rare and aggressive cancer of the bile ducts that develops silently. The doctors gave him 2 to 4 weeks to live. This cancer does not respond to standard treatments, meaning no treatment was possible for Sylvain. He sadly passed away during the night of July 27, 2025. The illness took him in only 17 days.
Where will the funds go?
Johnathan decided to fight the battle that his father never had the chance to fight. He launched a fundraiser to honor his memory, but also to bring hope to families affected by cholangiocarcinoma in their fight against this disease — under the banner of their uniforms. The project was born:
A Firefighter, A Police Officer: One Common Fight for Life.
This is a fundraising campaign benefiting the research work of Dr. Turcotte at the CHUM in collaboration with the C3, specifically focused on the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma via a promising immunotherapy treatment called Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) therapy. To learn more about this groundbreaking clinical trial, kindly visit the link here.
The campaign began on January 27, 2026 and will run until July 1, 2026. As a former triathlete and experienced cyclist, he decided to take a route of approximately 200 km, incorporating 6 Montéregian Hills, including ascents of several of them. The event, which will mark the closure of the fundraising campaign, will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2026. The departure will take place near the Montreal Fire Department Headquarters, passing through 6 Montéregian Hills, and finishing at the Saint-Damase fire station.
Sylvain Berthiaume (left side) and his son, Johnathan Berthiaume (right side).