Zoé’s story is one of courage, hope, and solidarity.
She was born on October 28, 2008, and shortly after, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer. Zoé spent nearly three months at the CHUV (Lausanne University Hospital) before she was finally able to go home.Despite the treatment, the cancer returned. At the age of four and a half, Zoé faced a new relapse. Though she dreamed of becoming a nurse at the CHUV—so she could wear high heels like the grown-ups—she had to fight once again. The necessary treatment was complex and only available abroad.
It was at the CHUV that Zoé and Elliot met. Their mothers, Natalie and Nicole, were going through the same ordeal and quickly formed an intense friendship. They each kept a blog to share their experiences and, above all, to fuel their common desire to raise public awareness about childhood cancer—a subject that was still far too often a taboo in Switzerland.When Zoé suffered her final relapse, Nicole suggested creating an association to help fund her "last-chance" treatment. Friends and family mobilized without hesitation. As a result, in May 2013, the Zoé4life association was born.
Zoé4life is not just the name of an association; it is the story of a little girl who inspired hundreds of people. It is the story of Natalie and Nicole, two mothers who transformed their struggle into a collective force.