Sophie Desmarais raises $1,942,000 for research at the Montreal Heart Institute

April 22, 2020
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The Montreal Heart Institute Foundation is proud to announce that in addition to a generous $1 million contribution officialized on April 3^rd, philanthropist Sophie Desmarais has raised even more funds to support the Montreal Heart Institute’s Research Centre and its Colcorona clinical study.

Ms. Desmarais recently invited donors to contribute to this major project. And the community responded by donating $471,000, which was then matched by Ms. Desmarais, bringing the total amount to $1,942,000.

“Thank you to Dr. Tardif’s team who has been working day and night to find a solution for this disease. And thank you to the donors who have joined the movement to 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 and all the donors for their generosity and empathy. We are privileged to be able to count on these kind-hearted philanthropists,” added Alain Gignac, CEO of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and who are interested in taking part in the clinical study can visit www.colcorona.org 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.