Meet Chantale - a Story of Change

By Chantale Bonin

When Manon Fairfield told me about the Kili-2012 project, I said yes straight away (to be honest - without much thought). But I never dreamt it would change my life so profoundly.

I thought she was so courageous to want to climb a mountain after having gone through the loss of several loved ones. So courageous that I thought - let's do it together!

I met Manon and her twin sister in 1999. We lived in the same neighbourhood and met at a few birthday parties. I was very shocked by the sudden loss of Chantal, Manon's sister. I'd taken her wedding photos only a few years before and here we were, in the same church in Verdun, for her funeral. When I think that Manon and I started working for Visa on the same day, it must have meant something. I even wonder if it wasn't Chantal who inspired me to say yes that day.

I started improving my fitness with Manon and some others. We decided to run with the other Team Kili members whom I gradually got to know. I'd never enjoyed running but, as it was part of our training contract, I had at least to try. I always stayed at the back, thinking that I should run slowly but surely. Gradually, I found myself pushing the others and enjoying it more and more. As others were discovering the same satisfaction, we decided to run informally during our lunch breaks.

The stair challenge was next - a team initiative. When Manon told me about it, I plunged in again and set myself a personal goal. The idea was to climb the most steps in a certain period of time. Several teams signed on. My goal was to get to the top.... For the first time in my life, I really wanted to succeed. I've never been ambitious in my career - when someone else wanted a position, I stepped aside. But now it was different, I wanted my team to win at any price. Luckily, I could count on three wonderful colleagues to support me - André Lachapelle, Manon Fairfield and Julie Foster. We were really strong. Manon, whom I call "Statistics Canada", could tell you the exact number of steps we climbed at lunch time and in the evening, when we returned, just for the sake of the challenge. And whereas the objective was 600 stories, we did 4145!!!

These winds of change have invigorated my everyday existance - that of a rather spoilt mother. As I adore taking photos, I hope that my involvement in the team will let me share my skill and put it to good use. I've discovered people who are very ambitious and wonderfully human. I've discovered a new way of life and the intense experience has taught me a lot about myself.

Translated by Pamela Gauvin