A Quebec man and his four-legged companion are walking across Canada to change how people see epilepsy — one community at a time.
Claude Camirand, a former circus performer from Montreal, began his journey earlier this year with his service dog, Timber, at his side. The trek, which spans thousands of kilometres, is both a physical challenge and a deeply personal mission to raise awareness about epilepsy — a condition he developed after a life-altering accident several years ago.
“In 2021, I fell on my head while practising for circus,” Camirand explained. “Since that day, I’ve become epileptic. They think I already was, and I just didn’t know it. They’re still doing more research about it.”
The fall changed the course of his life. What could have become a story of defeat instead became one of determination.
“A couple months ago, I met a guy named Will Calon — he’s also walking across Canada,” Camirand said. “He encouraged me to walk instead of trekking, and I thought, that’s a good idea. I tried it for a week or two and decided, yeah, I love it. Now I’m at the point where I just want to keep going.”
Since setting out from Montreal, Camirand and Timber have covered thousands of kilometres, crossing into Manitoba this fall as part of their westward journey toward the Pacific.
“It’s not easy. Every day I have to deal with seizures,” he said. “Yesterday I was having micro-seizures all night. Sometimes people don’t get that walking isn’t always easy. They see me with my dog and think I’m being hard on him, but my dog is super happy. We walk between 15 and 40 kilometres a day — when it’s too hard, we stop.”
Despite the challenges, Camirand continues on. “The most challenging part is the epilepsy,” he said. “Sometimes I have no energy. Once, I had a seizure on Highway 17 — right in the middle of the mountains. But when I came out of it, I still had to move to reach a safe spot.”
He said there have been moments of deep exhaustion. “There are times I was crying, on my knees, because my knees wanted to give up, my feet wanted to give up. I had no training for this — not emotionally, not physically. So you need to be strong in your mind.”
Camirand emphasizes that he isn’t walking coast to coast in a straight line — instead, he’s crossing through provinces and adapting to conditions as he goes. “When it’s too dangerous, like parts of the Trans-Canada with too many trucks, I skip that section. I always ask my followers what they think, and they always tell me: safety first.”
Through it all, Timber — his service dog of three years — has been a constant companion. “He’s amazing,” Camirand said proudly. “He tells me when I’m going to have a seizure — he’ll bark, or jump and put his paw on my shoulder. He’s super tall and super brilliant. He even helps carry my grocery bags. He gives me confidence and keeps me safe.”
The duo have already travelled across Quebec and Ontario, and Camirand says Manitoba has been one of the friendliest stops yet. “So far, people here are amazing — they’re more friendly, more responsive. When I’m walking on the side of the road, people wave, stop to talk, offer food. It’s one of the best provinces I’ve been through.”
Camirand estimates he’s travelled about 5,000 kilometres so far, with nearly 9,000 still to go before completing his cross-country route. But for him, the journey is about more than reaching the West Coast.
“People look at me and say, ‘You don’t look sick. You look fine.’ But epilepsy isn’t something you can see,” he said. “Sometimes I wake up with no energy. Sometimes I lose my words or forget what I was doing. It’s really hard to live with, and I wish more people understood what epilepsy is and what to do in case of a seizure.”
His message is one of resilience and hope. “Even if it’s hard to find a job with a service dog, even if it’s hard to live with epilepsy, you can still do something with your life,” Camirand said. “That’s what I’m doing right now — proving that even if I’m sick, I can still do impossible things.”
Camirand plans to continue west until winter, then find a safe place to rest until spring. After reaching British Columbia, he hopes to return east and complete the rest of his route through Atlantic Canada.
“My goal isn’t just to walk,” he said. “It’s to raise awareness about epilepsy and show that safety always comes first. I want to live my life fully, not let epilepsy define it.”
For updates on Camirand’s journey or to follow his progress through Manitoba, visit his Facebook page @ClaudeCamirandWalksForEpilepsy.
