La Récré × Jules: The Story Behind This Campaign That Means So Much to Us
La Récré × Jules: The story behind this campaign that is so close to my heart
My name is Carine. I’m a mom of three boys.
And today, I want to tell you about my youngest son, Jules.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of his passing.
To mark this important occasion, we at La Récré Photographie have created a special edition of socks,La Récré × Jules, with all proceeds going to the Charles-Bruneau Foundation until November 5.
Before I tell you about this campaign, I’d like to explain why it exists.
My little Jules
Jules was a true ray of sunshine.
He was a happy little boy who woke up every morning full of enthusiasm to go eat his toast. He had sparkling eyes, a contagious smile, and a zest for life that brightened our days.
He loved the simple things and had this ability to make people happy just by being there.
When I think of him today, it is first and foremost that radiant little boy I see.
Not the illness.
Not the hospital.
Jules.
The Day Our Lives Changed Forever
In the summer of 2016, we started to notice that something was wrong.
Jules would sometimes lose his balance. He felt nauseous in the morning and at night. We consulted a doctor, but nothing suggested it was anything serious.
Then one evening, as I was helping him into the bath, he lost his balance while sitting down.
At that moment, I knew.
I picked up my son, put him in the car, and we drove to the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
Once we arrived, everything happened very quickly.
The tests revealed a large tumour in the cerebellum called a medulloblastoma.
Our world had just come crashing down.
A few days later, Jules underwent a long surgery to remove the tumour.
The procedure went well. The doctors were encouraged. The tumour had been completely removed.
We had hope.
Jules’s Battle
Treatment began quickly.
For the first three months, we were at the hospital practically every week for chemotherapy, tests, transfusions, and medical check-ups.
It had become our daily routine.
The second phase of treatment was supposed to be even more intensive. Jules was to be hospitalized for three months to undergo extremely aggressive chemotherapy, followed by a transplant of his own stem cells.
We were ready to take this step.
We thought we were moving toward a cure.
But the day before he was admitted, a follow-up MRI changed the course of our story.
The cancer had returned.
His brain was riddled with metastases.
There was no further treatment available.
I still remember the shock.
We were devastated.
Even the doctors were shaken, because everyone had believed that Jules had a good chance of pulling through.
The days that followed were spent focusing on what really matters: being together.
We spent time at home with the family.
Thanks to Rêves d’enfants, Jules had a wonderful party surrounded by his loved ones, his friends, and even his heroes.
But his condition quickly deteriorated.
Just two weeks after that terrible news, on November 5, 2016, my little boy went to join his star.
He was two years and nine months old.
Learning to Live After
After Jules left, I was utterly devastated.
I still had my two older boys to care for, but my heart was completely broken.
For months, I searched for a way to survive this pain.
I read everything I could find about grief. I hoped to discover a formula, a method, something that could help me breathe again.
I would run into a little blond boy in a store and break down in tears.
I would see little clothes and completely lose it.
The grief followed me everywhere.
Then one day, I came across a post by Alexandra Diaz in which she wrote that she had run the New York City Marathon in memory of her mother.
Out of curiosity, I checked the date of the event.
The marathon was taking place on November 5.
The date Jules had left us.
To me, it was a sign.
So I laced up my running shoes.
At first, I ran with a heavy heart.
I ran just to try to survive.
Then, little by little, I began to run with hope.
Throughout my training, I organized various fundraising activities to benefit the Charles-Bruneau Foundation.
On marathon day, I ran with the conviction that Jules was with me.
This adventure allowed me to donate $16,750 to the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, directly to Pierre Bruneau.
And above all, it allowed me to start moving forward again.
Ten years later
Over the years, I have remained involved with the Charles-Bruneau Foundation. For me, supporting research has become a way to turn grief into hope for families who are going through today what we went through.
When I joined La Récré Photographie in 2025, I shared with my colleagues my hope that the company, too, could contribute to a cause that helps children.
That’s how the idea for theLa Récré × Jules socks came about.
A simple, colorful little item that’s full of meaning. An easy gift to give, one that evokes the world of childhood while supporting a cause that’s deeply close to my heart.
I am deeply touched that the team at La Récré agreed to include my son in this initiative.
Until November 5, the tenth anniversary of Jules’ passing, all proceeds from sales will be donated to the Charles-Bruneau Foundation.
Keeping his memory alive
At La Récré, we believe in the power of memories.
This campaign is our way of keeping Jules’ memory alive.
Ten years later, his memory continues to inspire hope, generosity, and love.
Through November 5, all proceeds from the sale ofLa Récré × Julessocks will be donated to the Charles-Bruneau Foundation to support research on pediatric cancers.
The socks are available for$25 a pair, shipping included, in a one-size-fits-all athletic style designed to be worn and given with joy.
👉Get your pair here
In all humility, I also had the opportunity to share Jules’s story onAlex Barrette’s podcast,*N’oublie pas ta brosse à dents*. If you’d like to hear the full story of my journey, I invite you to listen to this episode.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, your generosity, and your contribution to this cause that is so dear to me.
Carine, Jules’s mom
