Determined to return to the ice after the amputation of her right leg, Raphaëlle Tousignant discovered parahockey and made history by becoming the first woman to play for the Canadian men's team at the World Parahockey Championships in 2023. She now intends to inspire others.

Raphaëlle Tousignant was 10 years old when a ringette accident changed the course of her life. During a game, Tousignant fell on her right hip,
and a lump formed. Little did she or her family know that there would be long-term consequences.

She began intensive chemotherapy treatments without success, and then underwent surgery to amputate her right leg, hip and part of her pelvis. The active child and ringette player feared she would have to say goodbye to sport. Until she learned about parahockey.

The passion she felt for this new sport helped her quickly elevate her game. At the age of 14, Tousignant became a member of Canada's national women's parahockey team. Having achieved
her first goal, Tousignant set herself an even more
challenging one: to represent Canada at the Paralympic Games. As women's parahockey is not part of the Paralympic program, she had to earn a place on the men's team to do so. At the age of 16, she was selected by the Quebec men's team, and then came the call from Hockey Canada. 

After her first Next Generation Camp in 2019, Tousignant made history with Christina Picton by becoming the first two women to play for Canada's national parahockey development team. Tousignant returned to the Next Generation camp in April 2022 and received an invitation to the Canadian National Parahockey Team selection camp, along with Alanna Mah.

She broke the barriers and officially became a member of the men's parahockey team for the WPIH World Championships in 2023. Raphaëlle can now aspire to take part in the Paralympic Winter Games in 2026.