Bal des lumières: Québec's three largest mental health charities help people step into the light

MONTREAL, Dec. 5, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Mental Illness Foundation, the Douglas Mental Health University Institute Foundation, and the Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital Foundation, University Mental Health Institute, are proud to announce the first edition of Bal des lumières. As Québec's largest fundraising event for mental health, Bal des lumières will put the cause of mental health on the map. On March 20, 2013, 800 guests at the Bell Centre will carry the light for mental health.

In Québec, one in five people will experience mental illness during their lifetime. Unfortunately, most will not seek the help that they need because of a lack of information or for fear of being judged due to the stigma surrounding mental illness. Our three Foundations have united with Bell and other Québec corporations to get people talking about mental health and put an end to the stigma. This has already been done for AIDS, cancer and epilepsy, and it is now time for mental illness to step from the shadows into the light.  Bal des lumières is a new action towards improving the daily lives of people with mental illness and those close to them.

With $ 1 million as the fundraising objective, net proceeds from Bal des lumières will be invested in three projects that will have a major impact on the mental health of our families, friends and colleagues: The Mental Illness Foundation's Partners for Life outreach program, the Centre for Innovation in Mental Health at the Douglas Institute and the Signature Centre at the Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, University Mental Health Institute. Through educational programs and cutting-edge treatment and research, our three charities will raise awareness about, help people recover from and prevent mental illness.

Bal des lumières will also benefit from the support and involvement of event co-chairs George Cope, President and Chief Executive Officer of BCE and Bell; Serge Godin, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of CGI; Geoff Molson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Club de hockey Canadien, Centre Bell & evenko; and Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bank of Canada.

Urban, trendy and unique, Bal des lumières will enchant its audience. Normand Brathwaite and Anne-Marie Withenshaw will be the MC's for the evening. They will be joined onstage by a range of entertainers, including Marc Hervieux, one of the most internationally sought-after Québec vocal artists, the "Brathwaite and friends" band, and other well-known performers such as: Julie Massicotte, Élizabeth Blouin Brathwaite, Kim Richardson, Sylvie Desgroseilliers, and Stéphanie Bédard.

For more information about Bal des lumières, the projects that will be funded, or the organizing charities (the Mental Illness Foundation, the Douglas Mental Health University Institute Foundation, and the Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital Foundation, University Mental Health Institute), please visit www.baldeslumieres.com

SOURCE: MENTAL ILLNESS FOUNDATION

Sources: 

Mental Illness Foundation | www.fondationdesmaladiesmentales.org
Douglas Mental Health University Institute Foundation | www.douglas.qc.ca
Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital Foundation, University Mental Health Institute | www.hlhl.qc.ca

For supplementary information, or an interview, please contact:

Brigitte Germain 
Executive Director, Mental Illness Foundation
514 529-5354, ext. 243
[email protected]

Carole Morin 
Executive Director, Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital Foundation, University Mental Health Institute 514 251-4000, ext. 2026
[email protected]

Tijana Potkonjak 
Communications Officer, Douglas Mental Health University Institute Foundation
514 761-6131, ext. 2761
[email protected]