Montreal, Friday, September 10, 2010
Monique F. Leroux: Working Together to Ensure the Quality of our Health Institutions
2010 Award Recipient of the Médaille d’honneur
$1.85 million raised at the Grand Bal des Vins-Coeurs
Montreal, September 10, 2010 – Nearly 900 guests came together last night at Windsor Station’s Salle des pas perdus for the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation’s 10th Grand Bal des Vins-Cœurs, its flagship fundraising event. Desjardins Group President and CEO Monique F. Leroux was the 2010 award recipient of the Foundation’s prestigious Médaille d’honneur for generosity and commitment in the fight against heart disease.
A dynamic and eloquent leader, Monique F. Leroux joined the MHI Foundation in 1994. Under her guidance as Chair of the Board at the turn of the millennium, the Foundation soon increased the number of donors and developed a successful corporate image. Her legacy includes the implementation of two new entities, a Board of Governors and Honorary Members. During her governing years, Monique F. Leroux did what comes naturally to her, she led people with respect, confidence, solidarity and cooperation.
Message from Monique F. Leroux
“I thank the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation for its tribute. I have always believed that our society would evolve through individual commitment and responsibility. These compelling values of cooperation are very much part of my life,” said Monique F. Leroux. “Furthermore, I truly believe in the quality of our institutions, be they part of the health sector or other sectors such as education. Despite the vagaries, we should be proud of what we have accomplished together, while recognizing that if we are to meet the needs of all, these institutions need our collective attention and commitment for growth and sustainability.”
Message from Louis A Tanguay, Chair of the Board
“We gratefully acknowledge our long-term partners, SAQ and Cirque du Soleil, as well as our five Honorary Co-presidents, Nathalie Bernier of KPMG, Stéphane Boisvert of Bell Canada, Sylvain Labarre of lg2, Rémi Marcoux of Transcontinental and Richard Nadeau of Desjardins Securities,” says Louis A Tanguay, MHI Foundation Chair. “They, along with numerous donors and sponsors, have made it possible to raise over $1.85 million, including a major donation of $500,000 from the Carsley Family Foundation. Thanks to their generous contributions, the Foundation continues to support the Montreal Heart Institute, one of the four most prestigious and successful research and interventional cardiology centres in the world, at the service of the Quebec community.”
Major donation in the fight against heart disease
MHI Foundation Board Member Marvin Carsley made a donation of $500,000 and paid tribute to Dr. Lucien Campeau, one of the MHI’s foremost cardiologists and researchers, who died in March 2010. In 1989, Dr. Campeau revolutionized the field of angiography by implementing a procedure that reduced patient discomfort, as well as the risk of thrombosis and infection. Angiography is a test to monitor blood flow and determine the health of the patient’s arteries. Dr. Campeau’s new procedure was such a success that it was adopted by physicians around the world.
An enchanting evening filled with surprises
The mystery guest whose music is worth a thousand words was none other than pianist Alain Lefèvre. The acclaimed virtuoso performed André Mathieu’s piano version of the Concerto de Québec in honour of Monique F. Leroux, whose own talent at the piano could have taken her at the professional level. As a surprise and touching moment for Madame Leroux, her young daughter Anne-Sophie joined Alain Lefèvre in Johann Pachelbel’s Canon. The tribute continued later in the evening with a spectacular handstand with contortion act on rotating pole by Cirque du Soleil acrobatic artist Dima Shine.
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. All donations to its Foundation will assist the MHI in saving lives and providing solutions to Canada’s number one killer, heart disease, which strikes an increasing number of senior citizens, as well as younger people struggling with lifestyle habits such as stress, poor diet, insufficient physical activity and smoking.
-- 30 --
Note: Event photos available on request
Source: Montreal Heart Institute Foundation
www.fondationicm.org/en/
Information:
Johanne McDonald
MHIF Director of Development and Communications
Tel.: 514.376.3330 ext. 2205
johanne.mcdonald@icm-mhi.org
..