Coroner investigating death of Quebec woman who died by suicide after battle with Lyme disease
Quebec's chief coroner has ordered a public inquiry into the death of Amélie Champagne, a 22-year-old woman who suffered from Lyme disease and took her own life on Sept. 11 in Montreal.
Since the death of the young woman, her father, Groupe Jean Coutu CEO Alain Champagne, has deplored in interviews the failures of the hospital system to take care of his suicidal daughter.
Champagne recently explained in a LinkedIn post that Lyme disease had "essentially kidnapped" his daughter Amélie.
"After years of medical wandering in Quebec -- and finally testing positive in the U.S. last June -- over time and despite recent treatments, the disease had progressed far beyond the many physical symptoms and was now having a severe impact on the brain," he wrote.
And after the young woman attempted to take her own life, the health-care system was reportedly unable to care for her, Champagne said in interviews.
Details of the coroner's inquest and dates for public hearings are not yet known.
The office of Chief Coroner Pascale Descary said Tuesday in a statement that the public hearings "will allow any person of interest to express their views on the circumstances of this death in order to analyze all contributing factors, with a view to proposing solutions for better protection of human life."
A coroner's inquest never makes a determination about a person's civil or criminal liability. Its purpose is to shed light on the cause and circumstances of death.
LIST OF MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IN QUEBEC
If ever you need help, don't hesitate to reach out to:
- Your family doctor (if you have one)
- Your local CLSC, CISSS or CIUSSS: 811
- AMI-Quebec: 514-486-1448
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): 514-521-4993
- Centre Interligne Inc.: (for issues related to sexual orientation): 514-866-0103
- Depressives Anonymous: 514-278-2130
- Groupe d'entraide pour un mieux-être: (GEME): 450-332-4463
- Quebec Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation: 514-727-0012
- Société québécoise de la schizophrénie: 514-251-4000 x3400
- Suicide Action Montreal: 1 866 277 3553
- Suicide Prevention Service: 1 866 APPELLE
- Veterans Affairs Canada: 1 800 268-7708
If you need immediate assistance, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 27, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE Police set to provide update on arrests in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist
More details are expected this morning on arrests that have been made in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport one year ago, Peel Regional Police say.
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
500 Newfoundlanders wound up on the same cruise and it turned into a rocking kitchen party
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
Liberals must now sell a budget they say will help younger Canadians catch up
It's now up to the federal Liberal government to sell a spending plan it says will help younger Canadians catch up to their elders.
Father of boy accused of stabbing 2 Australian clerics saw no signs of extremism, Muslim leader says
The father of a boy accused of stabbing two Christian clerics in Australia saw no signs of his son’s extremism, a Muslim community leader said on Wednesday as police began arresting suspected rioters who besieged a Sydney church demanding revenge.
Ontario woman out $30K after investing in mortgage company accused of being unlicensed
An Ontario nurse is fighting to recover tens of thousands of dollars in savings she invested in a mortgage company that has since been accused of operating without a licence.
Young New Brunswick songwriter makes appearance on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'
Eight-year-old songwriter Zuri Hamilton from Miramichi, N.B., got to show off her talent on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' on Monday.
Stretching isn't always the answer for pain and muscle tension
For years, conventional wisdom in fitness culture has promoted the belief that stretching to become more flexible leads to better movement and injury prevention.