he Heart Grant

In 2002, a grant program was launched with Bal du Cœur proceeds. The idea was to financially support promising young physicians selected by a committee of specialists so they could pursue sub-specialization training all over the world. 

Up to $50,000 in grant money is given to one or more winners every year. Sending these Quebec physicians to train at some of the world's top institutions is an excellent way for the MHI to remain on the forefront of new treatments and new technologies.

2002
The first winner, Dr. Paul Khairy, is now back from Harvard University with cutting edge expertise in the treatment of adults with congenital heart defects.

2003
Dr. Éric Larose is currently finishing a 2-year fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in association with Harvard University. He divides his time between two areas: clinical work in hemodynamics, which will enable him to further the training he began at the MHI in "Diagnoses and non-invasive treatments of coronary diseases"; and research into "Identification and characterisation of the unstable atherosclerotic plaque by intra-vascular magnetic resonance". is currently finishing a 2-year fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in association with Harvard University. He divides his time between two areas: clinical work in hemodynamics, which will enable him to further the training he began at the MHI in "Diagnoses and non-invasive treatments of coronary diseases"; and research into "Identification and characterisation of the unstable atherosclerotic plaque by intra-vascular magnetic resonance".

Dr. Hugues Jeanmart, another 2003 fellowship holder, went to Belgium in September 2003 for a 2-year internship at the OLV Clinic d'Aalst to learn minimally invasive valvular surgical (mostly mitral plasty) procedures and to develop expertise in robotics-assisted heart surgery.

2004
Dr. Eileen O'Meara and Antoine Rochon each received $25,000 when they won the 2004 Bal du Cœur grant. Dr. O'Meara is specializing in heart failure and echocardiography, while Dr. Antoine Rochon is focusing on new approaches in the field of cardiac anaesthesiology.

2005
Two grants were bestowed during this year's gala:

A $25,000 grant was given to Dr. Antoine Rochon, who also earned a grant of the same amount last year. Dr. Rochon will use the money to finish his sub-specialization in cardiac anaesthesiology at the highly renowned Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

A second grant in the amount of $50,000 also bestowed to Dr. Quoc Hung Ly, who is currently doing a research and clinical fellowship at Harvard and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, where he is studying quantitative angiography and regenerative cardiovascular medicine. Dr. Quoc Hung Ly, with Richard J. Renaud, honorary president of the 2005 Bal du Coeur,and president of TNG Corporation.

This year, a first grant of $50,000 was awarded to Dr. Marc Jolicoeur, who has just completed his first semester at the reputable Clinical Research Institute of Duke University, where he is studying the regeneration of diseased hearts. A second Heart Grant of $25,000 was awarded to Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy, a cardiac surgery resident at the MHI. Dr. El-Hamamsy, a University of Montreal graduate, is currently at the Imperial College of London pursuing a Ph.D. in basic research on tissue engineering of heart valves.

From left to right: Mr. Tony Meti,  Dr. André Deneault, Mr. Herbert Black, Dr. Marc Jolicoeur and Mr. Benito Migliorati