INTERVIEW – After the death of her companion Jean-Yves Le Four, the actress and director committed herself to fighting pancreatic cancer.
When her companion, businessman Jean-Yves Le Four, died of pancreatic cancer on March 31, Maiven promised him to continue her commitment and raise funds for research against this scourge.Today, she wants to organize an annual charity event. Surrounded by the Arcad Foundation (Aid and Research in Digestive Oncology) and Professor Pascal Hammel, Head of Digestive and Medical Oncology at the Paul-Bruce Hospital in Villejuif (who followed Jean-Yves Le Four), the actress and director tells us: about his fight.
Madame Figaro. – Why are you here today?
Maywen: – I lost my husband seven months ago to pancreatic cancer and he really wanted to organize a charity dinner to raise money for scientific research apart from the legal aspect of this type of campaign, it is expensive to hire a venue and there are many charity nights organized… you have to be able to stand out;
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Having trouble making yourself heard?
Yes! To give you an idea, I had originally planned to speak on World Pancreatic Cancer Day on November 21. I told myself that these two outlets would be enough to get my voice heard, and naively that donations will flow. But the paper never replied to me and the radio canceled my program twice and ended up airing a program about spiders… It’s strange to me that the media isn’t more sensitive than when it was World Pancreatic Cancer Day , that people are not aware of the seriousness of this disease, which kills 12,270 people every year, and that there are 15,991 new cases every year (source INCa, Cancer panorama in France, 2024.) This cancer is almost four times more deadly than traffic accidents. Although its prevalence has more than doubled in the last twenty-five years, it still suffers from widespread misinformation.
In other words.
Pancreatic cancer is thought to mostly affect men over 70 who have diabetes and drink a lot of alcohol. But this very aggressive, invisible and insidious disease affects everyone, men and women of all ages, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Therefore, it is important to inform people who have recently suffered from diabetes and experience stomach pain or recurring digestive problems to consult a doctor as soon as possible. will suggest they do a CT scan.
What did you know about this cancer before Jean-Yves Le Four got sick?
Nothing. I vaguely knew that it existed and that it was severe, but I discovered everything while accompanying Jean-Yves during his illness. As soon as my film about Jeanne du Barry came out, I was able to take care of it full-time. But if I had read an article that described the warning signs I just quoted, I would have immediately warned Jean-Yves understand that diabetes can be related to the pancreas, so I want to say it out loud today.
My husband and I spent a lot of time at home cuddled up on the couch watching detective movies.
Maiwen
Does this fight give you strength?
I’ve never liked the phrase that goes: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” For me, what doesn’t kill hurts is broken, and I don’t feel stronger because my husband died, on the contrary. I feel like I amputated an organ.Nothing is the same anymore. Everything is invisible.
How would you describe the role of a caregiver?
During my husband’s illness, which lasted for fifteen months, I had two faces: the one who tried to make him laugh, to make him optimistic, I was his shoulder and I told myself that if he dies, it must be his last moments. It’s been magic. So I did my best to keep him happy and optimistic, and we loved each other until the last second… When you’re supporting a sick person, everything else is insignificant: moods, worries, even your health. . Nothing is more serious than the patient’s health. My priority was for him to go through it, and I was behind all the time, even sometimes, according to him, a little too much… And I realized how lucky I was to finish my film and be able to devote myself completely himself. he told me to keep working as he was doing, but I couldn’t work on the script in the meantime. they are combative sometimes. And it’s too hard to manage. I was both isolated and surrounded by choice. Sometimes isolation is vital, which is why I’m speaking today to tell you supporters.
Is illness isolating?
Disease, no, but death, yes. Jean-Yves had many friends and was incredibly surrounded, supported and loved during his illness, but he did not want to come out. We spent a lot of time at home cuddled up on the couch watching crime movies.On the other hand, I’ve been warned that people go back to their lives very quickly after a funeral, and I confirm that. Illness makes people run away, several people, meeting by chance, told me that they did not dare to write to me when my husband died. Fortunately, most people know how to act, but in reality, no words are soothing. I understand that we don’t know what to say to a woman who has lost her husband, but an act of presence and compassion is the minimum. This is essential. Show that we’re there, thinking of each other by texting regularly, “How are you?”, “I miss your husband”… These little touches mean a lot to the bereaved.
Illness does not isolate, death does
Maiwen
How is your life today?
Everything is different. I can no longer do the same things as before, go to the same places. I’m really living a different life and doing relatively well in new areas, places or places of interest. I went back to school and did some work. Studying relaxes me. And read more than ever. I’ve talked to my husband enough to know that he’d like me to live to the fullest. We’re both very attached and if I don’t honor our unwritten contract to be okay and raise funds for pancreatic cancer. for research, I will be yelled at. (Laughs).
Support the Arcad Foundation at foundationarcad.org
Source: Le Figaro
