Zoé Trépanier's Enduring Legacy
Val Caron School Donates Over $11,000 to Cancer Charity, Honors Student Zoé Trépanier
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A Catholic high school in Val Caron, Ontario raised over $14,000 in memory of a student lost to cancer. École secondaire catholique l'Horizon presented $11,232.83 to Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC) — one of the largest single-school donations the organization has received in recent years, according to Cochrane Times Post.
The school also donated $3,000 to the Trépanier family to launch the Zoé Trépanier Annual Scholarship. The first $600 scholarship was awarded to a graduating student at this year's ceremony, Sault This Week reported.
A Year of Action in Honour of Zoé
Zoé Trépanier was a student at École secondaire catholique l'Horizon. She passed away in 2025 after a battle with cancer. Her death moved the entire school community deeply. Students and staff spent the 2025–2026 school year channeling that grief into action, according to Sault Star.
The school organized sports tournaments, bake sales, and dress-down days throughout the year. An estimated 90% of the student body took part in at least one fundraising activity. The student council framed the effort as "giving back to a system that supported one of our own."
$11,000 Donation Reaches Families Across Northern Ontario
NOFCC helps families pay for travel and lodging when their children need cancer treatment. In Northern Ontario, that often means long trips to Toronto's SickKids hospital or Ottawa's CHEO — hundreds of kilometres away. The $11,232.83 donation is enough to cover travel grants for roughly 10 to 15 families for a full year, according to Fort McMurray Today.
NOFCC relies almost entirely on community fundraising to operate. It receives little stable government funding. That makes donations like this one critical to keeping the organization running, according to Shoreline Beacon.
Zoé's Name Will Live on at Every Graduation
The Trépanier family received $3,000 to seed the Zoé Trépanier Annual Scholarship. The first $600 award went to a graduating student who showed resilience and community spirit. The family said the scholarship gives them "a sense of peace that her journey continues to inspire others to reach their goals," according to Paris Star Online.
The scholarship ensures Zoé's name is spoken at every graduation for years to come. School principal Andy Desormeaux said the students "are not just learners, but compassionate citizens" and that "Zoé remains a part of our Aigles family," as reported by Edmonton Examiner.
Community Rallies Around a Cause Bigger Than the School
The fundraising effort was backed by Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon, the Catholic school board overseeing l'Horizon. The board supports community giving as part of its commitment to Catholic social values. Local MPPs praised the school in the Ontario Legislature, calling it an example of Northern resilience, according to Pembroke Observer.
Some health advocates used the story to raise a harder point. They noted that communities should not need to raise $11,000 to fill gaps in provincial healthcare travel support. But for the Trépanier family, the numbers are secondary. What matters most, they said, is that Zoé is remembered for her spirit — not just her illness, according to PR Record Gazette.
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