Montreal, Friday, September 11, 2009
Daniel Lamarre Sends a Positive Message about Quebec’s Healthcare System
More than 850 guests came together last night at the 9th Grand Bal des Vins-Cœurs to honour Daniel Lamarre, the 2009 award recipient of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation’s Médaille d’honneur for generosity and commitment to the fight of heart disease.
Daniel Lamarre’s fight against Canada’s number one killer began when he found out that his son Sébastien had congenital heart disease over fifteen years ago. Since then, the President and CEO of the Cirque du Soleil has had a solid impact on the Montreal Heart Institute as one of the Directors of its Foundation and as Chair of the MHIF Communications, Marketing and Events Committee. The success of the Grand Bal des Vins-Coeurs and of the heartbeat signature ad campaign is a case in point.
Message from Daniel Lamarre
“I am proud to be associated with the Montreal Heart Institute, a model of excellence in healthcare in Quebec. One has to travel the world to realize just how respected the Institute is at the international level. In fact, few people realize that the Montreal Heart Institute has the largest number of cardiologists on staff in Canada and a team of world-class researchers. It’s time we recognized just how much we are accomplishing in healthcare at home in Quebec,” says Daniel Lamarre.
Remarkable Generosity Despite Difficult Times
The Grand Bal des Vins-Cœurs 2009 raised $1.3 million last night at Windsor Station’s Hall of Lost Steps. “Generosity and the gift of self are without a doubt the cornerstone of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation’s success and that much more appreciated during these difficult economic times,” says Louis A Tanguay, the Foundation’s Board Chair. “Thanks to our generous partners and donors, the Foundation donated last year over $8.3 million to the Institute, a world-renowned cardiology centre at the service of all Quebecers.” The funds were used to build a state of the art surgery wing, to launch the Institute’s Biobank, a genetic database, and to provide nursing scholarships, a unique approach to attracting and keeping our nurses.
The Montreal Heart Institute and its Foundation
The MHI is a world-renown highly specialized cardiology hospital dedicated to care, research, teaching, prevention, rehabilitation and the assessment of new technologies in cardiology. Its values are founded on the respect for patients, families and their quality of life, the recognition of human resources, the continuous search for excellence and innovation, the protection of public health, involvement in the community and the health network, as well as sound management and ethics based on transparency and the informed consent of patients. The MHI is at the service of the entire Quebec community with two thirds (2/3) of all its patients living outside of Montreal. All donations to its Foundation will assist the MHI in saving lives and providing solutions to Canada’s number one killer, heart disease.
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Note: Event photos available on request
Source: Montreal Heart Institute Foundation
www.fondationicm.org/en/
Information:
Josiane Bétit Johanne McDonald
Public Relations Officer MHIF Director of Development and Communications
514 831.0276 514.376.3330 ext. 2205
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