“I warn you, I’m going to cry”: Camille Lacourt struggles to hold back her tears while talking about the story of her partner Alice (VIDEO)

In 2019, Alice Detollenaere, ex-Miss Burgundy and companion of Camille Lacourt, received a shocking diagnosis: she had breast cancer. At that moment, the former beauty queen made the courageous choice to share this ordeal with her community on social networks, just like Caroline Receveur and many others, thus inspiring many people affected by the disease. Fortunately, the cancer is detected at an early stage, which allows the latter to avoid chemotherapy by opting for a mastectomy.

Alice Detollenaere: her fierce fight against breast cancer

A few months after this first operation, in February 2022, Alice Detollenaere made the difficult decision to undergo a second preventive mastectomy. This strong gesture, intended to protect one’s health, arouses the admiration of his companionCamille Lacourt.

The latter then expressed himself in a moving message addressed to their son Marius: “You can be proud of her Marius, at least as much as I am.” A testimony that deeply moves the Webstarting with Ophélie Meunier, presenter of The Big Week.

Invited on the set of the M6 ​​show on Saturday October 5, Camille Lacourt began to reread this touching message. From the first lines, the former swimming champion, his voice trembling, warns: “I’m going to cry.” As the 39-year-old athlete predicted, tears come quickly when he once again evokes his partner’s courage in the face of illness. A moment of emotion which illustrates to what extent this ordeal marked the couple.

Camille Lacourt: the first male ambassador for the Pink Ribbon

Camille Lacourt’s testimony takes on particular resonance at the start of October, a period dedicated to the fight against breast cancer with the Pink October initiative. The 2024 edition of this campaign focuses on caregivers and companions, these shadowy figures who are often forgotten. The former professional swimmer thus becomes the very first male ambassador of the Ruban Rose association, a role that is particularly close to his heart.

Her half Alice Detollenaere, for her part, is named godmother of publishing, alongside other public figures like Evelyne Dhéliat and Claudia Tagbo, both cancer survivors. Together, the couple represents a supporting force for all people affected by the disease. Alice also recalls the importance of giving visibility to caregivers: “It’s important that carers feel represented. They are pillars of the equation”she confided in the pages of Gala.

With pride, the mother explains that even if this role was not easy for Camille Lacourt, the lovebirds ultimately chose to engage in this campaign together. “We thought it would do so much good for people.“she added to our colleagues, delighted to be able to participate in this initiative with her partner. The French swimmer, who often speaks about mental health and sport, seems perfectly in tune with this fight which now affects millions of women around the world.

The importance of early detection to fight breast cancer

Each year in France, nearly 60,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancerand the disease causes approximately 12,000 deaths, making it the leading cause of cancer mortality in women. In order to detect this disease at an early stage, the national organized screening program invites all women aged 50 to 74 to have a mammogram every two years. This screening reaches nearly 10 million women in France.

However, despite awareness efforts, the participation rate remains low. Over the 2022-2023 period, only 46.5% of the women concerned participated, a drop compared to the previous period. This participation rate, which had already been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, is struggling to recover. However, early detection significantly increases the chances of remission. Health authorities, like Public Health France, regularly remind us of the importance of participating in these screenings to identify possible anomalies as early as possible and avoid heavy treatments.