She Lost Her Nose to Cancer—and Returned Stronger Than Ever
Tonight, we’re sharing a powerful and deeply human story from the world of arts and culture, one that goes far beyond the stage.
Isabelle Brouillette, a respected Canadian actress with a career spanning three decades, is speaking publicly for the first time about a rare and life-altering cancer that nearly took everything from her.
In November 2024, while she was on tour with a theatre production, Brouillette received a call that changed her life. Doctors told her she had cancer of the nasal septum, an uncommon and aggressive disease. In that moment, everything stopped. Not just the fear of death, but the fear that even survival could mean losing the work that defines her.
Within weeks, she faced radical surgery. Her nose was completely removed. Several teeth were taken. Parts of her palate could not be rebuilt. When she woke up, she was no longer the woman she had always seen in the mirror. She spent nearly a month in hospital, followed by months of intense radiotherapy that burned her mouth, damaged her glands and left her physically and emotionally exhausted.
For five long months, she says she felt diminished, fragile and unsure if she would ever fully return. Speaking was difficult. Eating was difficult. Even accepting her reflection took enormous courage. She later received a custom-made silicone nasal prosthesis, something she has learned to live with, not hide from.
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Through it all, Brouillette held onto small anchors. A psychologist who reminded her the journey was survivable. A friend who urged her to notice tiny moments of good, even in the darkest hours. A soft bedsheet. A breath. A flicker of light.
And slowly, things changed.
With the help of a medical obturator, she relearned how to speak. Her voice is different now, but it’s still hers. And perhaps most importantly, her desire to perform never left. At 56, she says she doesn’t want another career. This is who she is.
This winter, Isabelle Brouillette returns to the stage in two major theatre productions. Television may come next. She knows the industry may hesitate. She also knows she is ready.
She is not ashamed of her face. She does not see weakness. She sees survival.
Later this year, she plans to release a book, reflecting on illness, art and finding the extraordinary in everyday life. Not a story of pity, she says, but of reflection and light.
As she prepares to step back under the stage lights, Isabelle Brouillette carries scars, strength and a new clarity. She is the same artist, shaped by an unimaginable fight and still standing.
That’s the story tonight. A reminder that resilience doesn’t always look the way we expect—and that courage can be breathtakingly quiet.
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