Sophie Desmarais donates $1 million for research at the Montreal Heart Institute

April 6, 2020
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Launch of a major fundraising challenge to support important discoveries

The Montreal Heart Institute Foundation is proud to announce today that philanthropist Sophie Desmarais will be supporting the Montreal Heart Institute’s research projects thanks to a $1 million donation that will be used by the Research Centre for their ColCorona study. On March 23, the Institute’s Research Centre launched this ground-breaking clinical study in order to help patients infected with COVID-19.

“Thank you to Dr. Tardif’s team who has been working day and night to find a solution for this disease. With my donation, I hope to inspire others to join the movement and support projects that could make a huge difference. Accelerating the pace of the work being done is key to this fight. It is a race against time. Let’s do everything we can to limit the extent of the situation. We will make it through this,” said Sophie Desmarais.

“A heartfelt thank you to Sophie Desmarais who will allow us to deploy the resources necessary to support our research teams in these special circumstances,” said Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the Montreal Heart Institute’s Research Centre.

“We want to salute Sophie Desmarais for her generosity and empathy. We are privileged to be able to count on this kind-hearted philanthropist,” added Alain Gignac, CEO of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation.

A fundraising challenge to support important discoveries.

In order to amplify the impact of ongoing research projects, Sophie Desmarais is launching a fundraising challenge and is soliciting the generosity of Montrealers, Quebecers and Canadians. The goal is to collectively raise $500,000, an amount that has the potential to save millions of lives. It is a nation-wide appeal and every donation counts.

In addition, individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and who are interested in taking part in the clinical study can visit www.colcorona.net or call 1 877 536-6837.

About the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation

Founded in 1977, the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation raises and administers funds to support the Institute’s priority and innovative projects and fight cardiovascular diseases, the world’s number one cause of mortality. Its philanthropic events and the contributions of its donors have enabled this leading cardiovascular health care organization to become the largest cardiac research centre in the country. Since its creation, the Foundation has raised more than $283 million in donations. Its 27,514 donors helped make important discoveries and support specialists, professionals and researchers of the Institute to provide care at the cutting edge of technology to tens of thousands of patients in Quebec.

About the Montreal Heart Institute

Founded in 1954, the Montreal Heart Institute constantly aims for the highest standards of excellence in the cardiovascular field through its leadership in clinical and basic research, ultra-specialized care, professional training and prevention. It houses the largest cardiology research centre in Canada, the largest cardiovascular prevention centre in the country as well as Canada’s largest cardiovascular genetics centre. The Institute is affiliated with Université de Montréal and has more than 2,000 employees, including 245 physicians and more than 85 researchers.