Élisabeth Beaulne: When Resilience Takes the Lead
If there’s one word that best captures Élisabeth Beaulne, resilience would top the list. Defined as the ability to withstand hardship and grow stronger from it, resilience became central to Élisabeth’s life when she faced the ultimate adversity. Confronted with the choice of giving up or fighting back, she chose movement. The Gym Perfo at Centre Multisports became the stage for her comeback.
The Shock of Illness
“This place feels like my second living room,” she says, moments after lifting heavy weights under the watchful eye of Alexandre Lauzon, a well-known (and very bearded) coach at the gym.
Yet, sports hadn’t always been part of her life. Like many kids, she dabbled in a bit of everything—swimming, hockey, basketball, karate—but nothing stuck. She often quit and moved on.
Then, just before turning 30, her life was turned upside down. At age 27, just as life was beginning to open up, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the lymphatic system, a key part of the immune system.
“That was the worst year of my life, mentally and physically,” she recalls.
What followed was what she calls her “zombie period”—a stretch of time defined by chemotherapy and emotional absence.
But through it all, something shifted:
“It made me a better person. I learned to appreciate things and to feel gratitude for people in my life.”
Sport as a Lifeline
The treatments took their toll. But instead of staying passive, Élisabeth chose to fight back, seeking strength through motion. She started running, training at home, doing obstacle races—and eventually joined her first group classes at Centre Multisports.
Then came a turning point: weightlifting.
It all began in the Gym Perfo, with a class taught by kinesiologist Vincent Proulx.
“I’m always in Gym Perfo now. I didn’t want a typical gym with machines and treadmills. Once I started lifting weights, I fell in love with it.”
Three years later, she trains 4 to 5 times per week, lifting, pushing, striving. It’s no longer just fitness—it’s her lifestyle, her sandbox.
Healing Through Movement
From a medical standpoint, she’s considered cured—five years cancer-free. She still goes for regular checkups, but her gaze is fixed firmly forward.
“Fitness creates balance. It helps me push myself, chase new goals, and find calm.”
With support from the Centre’s kinesiologists, who not only teach proper technique but design programs tailored to her interests, Élisabeth hopes to keep training for years to come—and inspire others to move, too.
“Thanks to the kin team, it’s accessible to everyone,” she says.
“Even if you’ve never exercised before, someone will guide you. Once you enjoy it and make it part of your routine, it’s not a burden—it’s just part of your life.”
For Élisabeth Beaulne, sport became the gateway to healing—body and soul. It helped her rebuild herself, one rep at a time. And now, she smiles toward life.
For the better, this time.