Julie Lavertu

Lavertu, Julie – Passed away on September 23rd, 2025 at the age of 49 from a rare and relentless cancer. Julie leaves behind her soulmate and best friend, Mark Chambers, her mischievously sweet Havanese dog, Galileo, her parents, Laurette Quirion and Réjean (Paulette) Lavertu, her favourite aunts, Esther Quirion and Martine Quirion-Blais, her close friends, Shelley Martel, Elizabeth Diehl, and Violet Chavez Osorio, a large extended family in Québec, and many kind friends, colleagues, and neighbours. She was predeceased by her brother, Sébastien Lavertu (1998), her father-in-law, John Chambers (2020), and her mother-in-law, Germaine Chambers (2023).

Julie was born in Hull, Québec and spent her early childhood in Hull, Québec City, and Montréal. In May 1983, her family moved to Mississauga, Ontario where she learned English as a second language and attended French schools to preserve her native tongue. She earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History (with High Distinction) from the University of Toronto Mississauga and a Master of Arts Degree in Public Policy and Administration from Toronto Metropolitan University. Julie was a proud alumnus of the Ontario Legislature Internship Program (OLIP), a 10-month internship at Queen’s Park which fueled her interest in politics, public administration, and policy development.

Julie loved her current job in the City Clerk’s Office at the City of Toronto and was a dedicated municipal public servant who previously worked for the City of Mississauga and the Town of Oakville. Her most recent job accomplishments included being part of the inaugural Public Appointments Secretariat at the City of Toronto which oversees the recruitment of hundreds of residents to boards, committees, and tribunals. Julie subsequently provided secretariat support for more than four years to various decision bodies, including the Toronto Board of Health, where she coordinated its first hybrid (in-person and remote) and virtual meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was proud of her work with the Audit Committee where she managed a myriad of reports while liaising with Toronto’s Auditor General and senior City and agency staff. Thanks to John Elvidge, Kelly McCarthy, Aretha Phillip, Jennifer Forkes, Marilyn Toft, Diana Rusnov, Crystal Greer, Gary Kent, and Shelley Martel for providing Julie with challenging and rewarding job opportunities. (A sincere thanks to Julie’s colleagues at the City of Toronto for their kindness and support).

In her spare time, Julie enjoyed shopping for unique clothes made by local designers, kayaking on the Humber River (even in the snow!), eating watermelon, soft pretzels, and Indian food until her belly ached, and taking long walks with Mark and her beloved dogs, Galileo, Moxie, Daphne, and Ziggy. She loved exploring Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, especially Roncy, the Distillery District, Kensington Market, High Park, and Greektown and finding the best farmers’ markets, bakeries, and independent shops. Julie’s other joys included visiting Algonquin Park, bingeing on podcasts, rollerblading the Hamilton Beach Park Trail, and indulging on whitefish during her frequent visits to Tobermory.

Julie wanted to acknowledge her wonderful husband, Mark, who accompanied her on every step of this cruel journey. From driving her to 1:00 a.m. scans to accompanying her to 100+ radiation treatments to supporting her after six surgeries and waiting with her for hours in the ER, Mark was a superstar. He tolerated her obsession with Too Good To Go (it became easier when the iconic Nadège Patisserie joined the platform), read Julie her favourite childhood books by Lucy Maud Montgomery (yep, all eight Anne of Green Gables books), and was always agreeable for a turkey sandwich from the Black Forest Pastry Shop in Oakville when Julie had a craving. Above all, he comforted her after many difficult appointments. Julie was blessed to have such a loving, caring, and thoughtful partner and wished that she could have enjoyed a much longer life with Mark. (A heartfelt shout-out to Mark’s awesome colleagues at CBC/Radio-Canada for their support. Julie hoped that she could continue to tune into her favourite CBC shows and podcasts in her new digs).

A special thank you to Julie’s care team at the University Health Network (UHN) for their expertise, compassion, and support – in particular, Dr. Simon Carette, Dr. Ralph Gilbert, Dr. Nadine Gebara, Dr. Meredith Giuliani, Dr. Megan Himmel, Dr. Grégoire Marret, Dr. Eric Massicotte, Dr. Jody Morita, Dr. Alexandra Saltman, Dr. Roger Smith, Dr. Anna Spreafico, Dr. John Waldron, and Dr. Michael Yan, along with many fellows, residents, nurses, and other staff. Dr. Leah Tobin provided guidance, kindness, and empathy as Julie navigated her devastating diagnosis and treatments. Dr. Sundeep Banwatt, Julie’s family doctor, always made himself available and never hesitated to fill out more forms. John Josipiovic, a talented physiotherapist, rehabilitated Julie after her surgeries and entertained her with his cool socks. Dinesh and Nancy at Metro Pharmacy in Clarkson helped Julie manage her many medications and their side effects. Cindy Beggs, Leora Kleynhans, and Michelle Quinteros from Hospice Mississauga helped Julie with end-of-life decisions, while Judy, one of their volunteers, provided calming meditation sessions. Lastly, Dr. Asha Gupta and the Acclaim Health palliative team (John Ilano, Julie’s home care nurse) provided compassionate care and support to Julie in her final days.

Julie’s passing marks an end to the many surgeries, radiation treatments, scans, biopsies, appointments, and other medical interventions that she bravely endured since 2022. No more painful pricks, extreme scanxiety, vacuum sealed “torture” radiation bags, never-ending gong strikes, terrible pain flares, outrageous hospital parking fees, and grim walks with Mark up and down “hospital row”. She can now get some much-deserved rest, hopefully in the field of wildflowers that she often dreamed about. Julie shared one thing in common with “the” cancer – they were both one in a million.

Lastly, Julie wanted to emphasize that doctors can sometimes make big mistakes. She was misdiagnosed by her trusted, long-time specialist which ultimately led to her untimely death. So get that second opinion, ask questions, insist on a differential diagnosis (medical speak for considering different health conditions that often cause similar symptoms), be your best advocate, and keep pushing for answers. To continue Julie’s legacy, engage in quiet acts of kindness, check in on family and friends, be empathetic, practice daily gratitude, and deeply cherish your health, as life can change in an instant. And most of all, live your best life now! That could mean anything from booking a once-in-a-lifetime trip, treating yourself to daily indulgences, reconnecting with friends, or pursuing a job in a field that’s always interested you.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on October 18, 2025 at St. John Dixie located at 737 Dundas Street East in Mississauga, Ontario. In honour of Julie, please wear colourful and casual clothing and skip the flowers. If so inclined, please consider donating to the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation (https://accrf.org/), the UHN Foundation’s “Honour Your Hero” Program (https://uhnfoundation.ca/ways-to-give/), Hospice Mississauga (https://hospicemississauga.ca/), or Lupus Canada (https://www.lupuscanada.org/). You can also remember Julie by donating blood to Canadian Blood Services or supporting a family member, friend, or neighbour with cancer.

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

- Mary Stevenson (1984)