Dominique Michel and a committee of dedicated business women raise $267,639 during the À Votre Santé! champagne evening

 

Left to right : Lucie Drapeau, executive director, Foundation HMR, Annick Guérard, chief operating officer, Transat, Louise Sanscartier, board director and governance advisor, Élizabeth Camiré, lawyer, Louise Roby, partner – public companies leader, Mazars, Isabelle Bilodeau, designer, Isabelle Bilodeau Design d’Intérieur, Élaine léger, partner, Fasken, Johanne Claveau, portfolio manager, vice-president, National Bank Financial – Wealth Management, Johanne Desrochers, manager, Gwendoline Bonnet, project coordinator, directorate, project management and business development, Fonds de Solidarité FTQ, Dre Margaret Henri, surgeon, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Dominique Michel, HMR Foundation ambassador, Sylvie Cadieux, territory manager of the province of Quebec and Ottawa region, Hauser, Marie-Claude Rivet, community relations and corporate affaires, Casino de Montréal, Manon Charron, consultant municipal affaires, public administration et Nathalie Dallaire, vice president, executive search, recruitment solutions, Optimum Talent.

Montréal, November 9, 2018 – The very popular À Votre Santé! Champagne evening, which was created by and for Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont (HMR) Foundation goodwill ambassador Dominique Michel, gathered 400 guests at the Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay, on Thursday, November 8th. The benefit helped raise $267,639 in support of the cellular therapy revolution at the HMR to treat cancer and other incurable diseases.

The exclusively female Organizing Committee was chaired by Johanne Claveau, Portfolio Manager and Vice-president, National Bank Financial – Wealth Management. “The organization and success of this evening are the result of outstanding collaboration between 16 dynamic and committed business women, inspired by Dominique Michel’s courage. On behalf of the HMR patients that they are helping, the HMR Foundation wishes to express its deepest gratitude,” underlined Lucie Drapeau, Executive Director, HMR Foundation. 

In a lively and festive ambiance, guests discovered three great bottles of renowned Veuve Clicquot Champagne, paired with bite-sized delicacies by Ferreira. This 7th edition of À Votre Santé! marked Dominique Michel’s seventh year of remission after being treated for cancer at the HMR. The great lady of comedy reminded guests of “the importance of celebrating life together, while continuing to support the development of new treatments for cancer patients”. 

The HMR Foundation wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the presenting partner of this fundraising evening, the Société des alcools du Québec, who has been there since the very beginning. Attending the event, Catherine Dagenais, President and CEO of the SAQ, mentioned: “We are inspired by the people who passionately invest in an ideal. The SAQ is proud to support the development of innovative cancer treatments that stem from cellular therapy, by bringing together Champagne lovers and philanthropists.”

The HMR Foundation also wishes to express its deepest gratitude to the event partner, National Bank Financial – Wealth Management, to both major donor partners, Fasken and Québecor, as well as to the honorary co-chairs of this 7th edition, Élaine Léger, Partner, Fasken, and Jean Péladeau, Director, Digital Business intelligence, Vidéotron.

Ms. Léger stated that “Fasken is proud to support the Foundation and its team of researchers, who are recognized as among the best in the world in the search for revolutionary cancer treatments. When we support the Foundation, we give hope to patients as well as investing in innovative results that have a direct impact on the life of those who surround us.”

Mr. Péladeau underlined that “Québecor is proud of its contribution to an event that is created with such passion by the HMR Foundation team and by this group of inspiring business women. Their dedication and leadership have enabled people to gather from far and wide to celebrate life and to support the development of revolutionary treatments at the HMR. Health is our most valuable asset, which is why we feel so strongly about supporting such an important cause.”

 

Our Cause: The Cellular Therapy Revolution at the HMR

HMR researchers are among the world’s leaders in cellular therapy. They develop and reproduce “living drugs” programmed to repair tissue, to eradicate malignant cancer cells or to cure the most serious diseases of our time. These “living drugs” are able to cure patients who do not respond to traditional treatments.

Since the 2012 opening of the Centre of Excellence for Cellular Therapy, cellular therapy research and clinical applications have flourished at the HMR. Right now, a lack of space and equipment adapted to this research prevents them from fully developing the capacity of this revolutionary type of medicine. The HMR Foundation wishes to raise $15 million to realize a major project: To add 32,000 sq. ft. of laboratory space earmarked for the development of clinical applications in cellular therapy, which undoubtedly represents one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of this century.

 

About the HMR Foundation

As a key partner for the past 40 years, the HMR Foundation has supported the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont (HMR) in its strategic development orientations in order to respond more effectively to patient needs. Deeply committed to making a difference, the Foundation supports projects focusing on the ongoing improvement of patient care, the development of teaching and the expansion of research. The Foundation solicits the financial support of individual donors, private foundations, partners and corporations. Collectively, they recognize the excellence of care provided to patients at the HMR, an outstanding hospital centre affiliated with the Université de Montréal.

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Information:
Sylvie Rousseau – Department Manager, Communications, HMR Foundation 

Tel. 514 252-3435 / Cellphone: 514 602-2735 / srousseau@fondationhmr.ca

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