Community Connections

Determination and community spirit net big gains for rare neurological disease research in Quebec

Danielle Lepage Bonin has been raising funds for research into sensory neuropathy since 2009. This year, though plagued by health problems, she was still able to raise $28,028.50 to support Dr. Brais’ research into this rare genetic disease that disproportionately affects Quebecers in the Lanaudière region. Danielle’s devotion to this cause is well known in the community – the residents of Saint‑Thomas, Joliette, and the surrounding areas have contributed more than $227,000 through her fundraising drives and because of her motivation over the past 8 years. Congratulations and sincere thanks to everyone who has given their time, silent auction items, and donations to this important cause. 

 

“Country” Benefit for Research in Sensory Neuropathy

For the 7th year in a row, Mrs. Danielle Lepage-Bonin will be organizing a benefit in support of Dr. Bernard Brais’ research into Sensory Neuropathy – a rare genetic disease that disproportionately effects people in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. Featuring a country-western theme, musical acts, food and wine, silent auction and much more, this year is sure to be great fun! Join us on Saturday, November 14 in St-Thomas and help Dr. Brais and his team find better treatments for this devastating illness. For more information about the event or to purchase your tickets, please call 450-756-2915.

 

 

 

Working Hands Project

Richard Burman’s Working Hands Project creates media projects that explore human hands, how they work and what they can do. One of his most recent documentaries is “Tammy the Tumour” a story about Maureen Steenhill and how playing the piano helped in her recovery from two major brain operations. Ms. Steenhill was treated at The Neuro by Dr. Jeffery Hall. Her first operation to remove a meningioma brain tumour was July 2013. In April 2014 she had a second operation when a smaller tumour was removed. Following that she received radiation treatments. Maureen is grateful to the team at The Neuro especially her doctor and surgeon Dr. Hall. Click here to learn more and view the documentary.

 

Montreal Roller Derby rallies to help Neuro patients!

Thank you to two of Montreal’s roller derby teams who, together with their fans, collected 17 helmets for patients at The Neuro.  These helmets will help greatly in the post-surgery recovery and rehabilitation of our surgical patients who have had part of their skull removed to relieve pressure on the brain.  More on the Helmet Drive at The Montreal Gazette

 

Grip’N’Rip Golf Tournament for MS

Once again, Mr. Jordan Topor and his team of volunteers will be organizing the Grip’N’Rip golf tournament benefitting The Neuro’s MS Greatest Needs Fund, to be held on September 12th at the beautiful Hillside Golf and Country Club in Mirabel, Québec. The MS Greatest Needs Fund allows our researchers and physicians to push the envelope for the betterment of those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis in myriad ways – from filling special equipment needs, to bringing in exceptional staff, to improving front-line patient care, to financing avant-garde research projects with the potential to revolutionize treatment options. Last year the tournament raised over $40,000 and we’re sure this year’s edition will be another great success! To reserve your spot contact jordan [at] lerinque.com or 514-779-1687.

 

The Hay Foundation External Training Travel Award

For the second year in a row, the Hay Foundation has provided crucial funding so that outstanding students at The Neuro can attend specialized courses offered outside of Quebec and Canada. Travel like this allows students to acquire new skills and receive training that will directly benefit their work and will help us to develop better tools to diagnose and treat patients with neurological diseases and disorders. Our sincere thanks to the Hay Foundation for their commitment to training the next generation of scientists!

 

TELUS helps young students through BrainReach

BrainReach is a free educational outreach program spearheaded and run by 70 McGill Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN) Masters and Doctoral students. Because of the wonderful support of TELUS, volunteer educators have the opportunity to teach various neuroscience topics to elementary and high school students in disadvantaged neighborhoods across Montreal, in both English and French. Thanks to TELUS’ generosity, our partner schools are looking forward to another year of dynamic and interactive science education from tomorrow’s neuroscience greats!

 

A Desert Race on 4x4s for Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2)

After undergoing multiple surgeries and a radiation protocol, Isabelle Désy was diagnosed with NF2 – a condition caused by a genetic mutation that results in the formation of reoccurring, non-malignant brain tumours in 2012. Her family has supported her every step of the way, and now they’re hoping to help other families face this unpredictable and chronic disease by raising funds to support research into the root causes of NF2, and to defray the costs of using the NICO Myriad surgical device; a tool that allows surgeons to reach and resect tumours where before they feared to tread. For more information about the Désy family’s efforts, visit the Geckos Racing Team Facebook page!

 

When Life Gives You Lemons…

We count on donations both large and small in order to pursue groundbreaking research and deliver new treatments to our patients. So we were thrilled to hear that Mila Rose Ruckenstein and Abby Powell, who both recently lost their grandfather Dr. Allan Small to a brain tumour, decided to donate the proceeds from their lemonade stand to The Next Generation of Brain Cancer Treatment Fund at The Neuro. This precision medicine program uses stem cells to create personalized treatments that target the genetic and molecular make‐up of a person’s particular cancer, providing patients with more effective therapies and a reduced risk of relapse. Thanks to donors like Mila and Abby, patients are living about 200% longer and with a much higher quality of life than just 10 years ago!

 

Vigilant Global – Helping Us Map the Chemical Brain

The Montreal-based R&D and IT firm has once again shown their generous spirit and community mindedness by making a landmark donation to The Neuro. This year, their important contribution of $70,000 is directed to support Dr. Abbas Sadikot’s Chemical Brain Atlas Project. By building a detailed map of the chemical connections within the brain, our physicians will be better able to perform neurosurgical procedures using deep brain stimulation – like those to treat Parkinson’s disease and medication-resistant depression. Thanks to Vigilant Global, The Neuro can now embark upon the next stage of discovery and further unlock the mysteries of the deep brain.

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The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) is a bilingual academic healthcare institution. We are a McGill research and teaching institute; delivering high-quality patient care, as part of the Neuroscience Mission of the McGill University Health Centre. We are proud to be a Killam Institution, supported by the Killam Trusts.

 

 

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