Para ice hockey athlete Raphaëlle Tousignant, the initial female player to represent Canada in a major global contest, has disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, she expressed, “I never anticipated uttering those words again — not now, not in the near future. However, life has its own agenda.” Tousignant continued, “Around a week ago, I received the diagnosis of breast cancer. I’ve encountered adversities both on and off the ice that have molded me into the individual I am today. I’ve acquired the ability to stumble and rise once more. I’ve learned to endure pain and cling to hope. This battle won’t be any different.”
At the age of 10, Tousignant underwent a leg amputation due to bone cancer. Hailing from Terrebonne, Quebec, the forward secured a position on the Canadian women’s Para ice hockey squad at the age of 14, swiftly emerging as one of the team’s premier players. In 2023, she made history by being the inaugural female to be selected for Canada’s national team in a world championship.
Now 23, Tousignant aspired to be the primary female Para ice hockey competitor for Canada at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy, set for March. While Para ice hockey at the Paralympics is officially coed, only three women (two from Norway, one from China) have participated in the Games, notwithstanding teams being permitted to expand their rosters from 17 to 18 members to include a female player.
Despite the diagnosis, Tousignant remains resolute in pursuing her dream. She stated, “These forthcoming months were anticipated to be the final push toward the Games, an opportunity to secure my place. I refuse to allow this setback to impede me.” She added, “I am uncertain if it remains a realistic or achievable goal. Frankly, I am not interested in knowing at this moment. What I am certain of is that each workout and every moment on the ice carries a fresh significance. They are my motivation. My concentration. My ‘reason.'”
Tousignant also contributed to Canada’s silver medal win at the inaugural world women’s Para ice hockey championship in Dolný Kubín, Slovakia, in August. She remarked, “This marks a new chapter in my journey — not its entirety, not its conclusion. I am taking this day by day, enveloped by affection, resilience, and a flame that continues to burn bright.”
