Xavier: Holding His Head High Despite the Obstacles

In March 2025, Xavier, a young high-level skier, suffered a serious fall on the slopes and injured his left knee.

Two years earlier, he had already hurt the same knee after crashing into a pole with his sled. At the time, he had partially torn a ligament. Since surgery is not performed for partial tears, Xavier continued skiing and training intensely.

This time, the diagnosis was more severe: Both main ligaments in his left knee – the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL) – were torn. The verdict was clear: Recovery would require time, patience and rigorous rehabilitation.

After the accident, Xavier was placed on a waiting list at a pediatric hospital in Montreal. Weeks passed without any news of an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. Determined, his father, François, sought other options. Through a contact at Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada, he quickly secured a meeting with Paul A. Martineau, MDCM, FRCSC, whom Xavier describes as “very kind.” The surgery date was set immediately.

Since then, Xavier has been in rehabilitation. Despite the distance, he enjoys coming to Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada: “On top of my sessions, I get exercises sent by email. They’re well explained, I do them regularly, and they help me a lot.”