The third edition of the Bal des lumières – United for Mental Health took place on September 18, 2018 at the Bell Centre. Under the theme of "human nature," this event collected $1,825,000 Net to benefit the Douglas Mental Health University Institute Foundation, the Fondation de l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal and the Fondation Jeunes en Tête.
Over 700 guests attended, including Quebec Premier François Legault, Minister of Health and Social Services Danielle McCann and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante. The event set a new fundraising record for mental health, exceeding the $1,430,000 collected during the second edition of the Bal des lumières in 2016.
This unprecedented response will have a wide-ranging impact, since these three organizations cover a range of mental health interventions, from raising awareness and prevention to promoting innovative treatments, quality care, cutting-edge research and social integration. The three foundations will use the funds to advance their cause and dispel prejudice surrounding mental illnesses.
The Board Chairs of all three organizations, Éric Bujold, Martin Gagnon and Marisa Giannetti, would like to thank the five Honorary Co-Chairs for their outstanding leadership and commitment to mental health. They would also like to thank the evenko team and artistic director Joël Legendre for making this magical evening a reality.
In the middle of the evening, a wave of generosity swept the Bell Centre after actor Jean-Nicolas Verreault and his young daughter Mia talked about her struggles with anxiety. Their story touched the hearts of the audience, who donated $160,000 to help people affected by mental illness.
The evening was co-chaired by George Cope from Bell, Robert Dumas from Sun Life Quebec, Serge Godin from CGI, Geoff Molson from the CH Group and Louis Vachon from National Bank, and hosted by Maripier Morin. It was filled with memorable moments, including a touching piece by pianist Alexandra Streliski, accompanied by a team of talented dancers, as well as a stirring performance by musician Christian Marc Gendron.
raised in 2019 in the third edition of Bal des lumières
have attended the largest fundraising event for mental health in Quebec in 2019
will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime
The Douglas Foundation's mission is to finance the development of the Douglas Institute: patient care, research in neuroscience and mental health, and education and training. With the money raised, the Foundation continues its vital research on preventing and treating depression and suicide, mood, anxiety and impulsivity disorders, eating disorders, detecting Alzheimer's disease, child psychiatry, and the importance of early detection in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychoses. The funds collected provide critical support to our teams of world-class experts in both clinical and basic research.
The Fondation de l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal supports universal access to specialized mental health care and the development of cutting-edge research in this field. The Foundation is committed to supporting clinical and scientific projects that aim not only to reduce the symptoms of the illness and treat the individual, but also to ensure the person's recovery, so that he or she can maintain a solid link with the community and thus facilitate their integration into society.
Fondation Jeunes en Tête's mission is to prevent psychological distress among youth aged 11 to 18 in Quebec. With the money raised, the foundation ensures the continuation of its Partners for Mental Health program. This program, intended for secondary school students in grades 9 to 11, reaches about 48,500 young people each year province-wide to raise their awareness of the signs and symptoms of depression. By helping these young people understand depression, its symptoms and the resources available to them, we engage in concrete actions for a healthier society. In addition, Fondation Jeunes en Tête will consolidate its actions in Québec with a new presentation which will promote good mental health among students in grades 7 and 8. Its deployment in schools will be gradual, starting in 2019.
In Quebec, as elsewhere, mental illnesses create intense suffering for those affected, as well as for their loved ones. The latest statistics indicate that one Quebecker in five will suffer some form of mental illness over their lifetime. Mental illness alone is the second-highest cause of long-term disability at work. However, there are solutions to these problems, and recovery is possible.
The generosity of our guests at the third edition of the Bal des lumières will allow the three Foundations to fund a broad array of actions in support of mental health: awareness building, prevention, innovative treatment, quality care, advanced research, social integration and many more.
Under the theme of nature, perceptions and illusions,our guests were invited to witness and celebrate the beauty ofinvited to witness and celebrate the beauty ofhuman nature, in all its strength and fragility...
Evening attire
Women : Short or long cocktail dress
Men: Dark suit and tie (Tuxedo not mandatory)
To make a payment or to receive an invoice, please contact the Douglas Foundation at fondation@douglas.mcgill.ca or by phone at 514-761-6131, ext. 2792; or complete your registration online. You can also make a donation to the cause.
We are proud to count you among our partners and we sincerely thank you for your commitment to the cause of mental health !
Executive Director
Douglas Foundation
laura.fish.comtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
514-761-6131, ext. 2765
Executive Director
Fondation de l’Institut universitaire
en santé mentale de Montréal
carolemorin.iusmm@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
514-251-4000, ext. 2026
Executive Director
Fondation Jeunes en Tête
mboucher@fondationjeunesentete.org
514-529-1000, ext. 257
