25 years of caring,
guiding and remembering
Annual Report 2023-2024
25 years of caring, guiding and remembering
Rapport annuel 2023-2024
Message from the Chairman of the Board and the Executive Director
25 years of caring, developing and honing our expertise
The year 2024 marks Le Phare’s 25th anniversary. We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the efforts of our predecessors, those who built Le Phare, as well as those of the current team who proudly and expertly continue to fulfill its mission every day. In 1999, there were no community-based pediatric palliative care resources in Quebec, despite the urgent need of struggling families - those with children whose lives were threatened by serious illness. Le Phare’s co-founders, Michèle Viau-Chagnon and Nicole Marcil-Gratton, along with its first employees and volunteers, some of whom are still part of our team today, nurtured a vision. They had the determination necessary to bring this organization into fruition. As of today, 50,000 nights of respite have been provided, free of charge, to 942 families. Thanks to your generous donations, in conjunction with grants from the government, Le Phare has been accompanying these families for a quarter of a century!
The expansion of services offered, collaboration and outreach
Donor Trust

François Gratton
Chairman of the Board

Lyne St-Martin
Executive Director

Memory of the young Charlotte
25 years of changing lives
Véronique Brais, nurse at Le Phare for 10 years: Véronique shares a memory that changed her perspective on life

This memory dates back more than 10 years, now. A family arrived at Le Phare for a stay of a few days with their newborn. The birth had gone terribly wrong, leaving the baby with severe and permanent neurological damage. The family was still reeling from the shock of what had transpired and wished only to avoid prolonging any unnecessary suffering - a very natural sentiment.We at Le Phare have no control over such matters, however; the newborn was holding the reins and controlled her own journey through life. In the days following their admission, we witnessed this family navigating their grief. They moved through anger to cherishing precious moments with their baby - cuddling, rocking, taking walks outside, spending time at the pool. They took photos, made plaster casts, and engaged in other activities to establish memories. The care team worked to thoroughly prepare them for the final moments. When the child was taking her last breaths, her parents were by her side, expressing their profound love. During the prolonged pauses between breaths, her mother whispered into her ear, ‘Take all the time you need.’ She wished her a peaceful departure; time was no longer an issue.
Several years later, the family came back for a visit. Carrying a newborn baby in a car seat, they had come to express their gratitude for the services they’d received. Admittedly, it had not been easy, but they had succeeded in finding some normalcy following the tragedy they’d experienced. This memory and many more are giving meaning to my work. Supporting these families isn’t simple and it brings its share of emotional responses, difficulties, and challenges. Oh, but what a difference it makes for these families.
This experience totally changed my perspective on life.
Véronique
Nurse
Patient Care and Services overview
95
employees
70
volunteers
6
doctors

200
children
276
families
Main diagnosis
Distribution by age group
Breakdown of overnight stays
Stays
542
respite care stays
11
end-of-life stays
42
First 24-hour stays
Place of death
11
at Le Phare
3
at home
8
at the hospital
New admissions
58
new admission requests
81%
acceptation rate
19%
not meeting the palliative care criteria
Children and families by geographic regions
25
requests for symptom management and end-of-life care from hospital partners
1561
hours of support for family members (including 92% for bereavement support)
579
hours of workshops for families and commemorative ceremonies
41
bereavement support requests
34
became long term follow-up
50%
of requests were references from external partners
137
individuals that we supported
Coffee chat
3
for bereaved parents
1
for parents using respite care services
1
for grand-parents
1
holiday workshop
1
workshop for siblings at the Museum of contemporary art of Montréal
2
commemorative ceremonies
16
caregivers outside the organization supported by the psychosocial team

208
activities
Therapeutic activities (massage therapy, pet therapy, music therapy and Dr Clown)
68
activities for cultivating memory
Cultivating memory program (molding, footprint, special activity, collage and photo session)

2500+
recreational and artistic activities
Special guests appearances to enhance the children’s experience
Development of the PHARE Approach by a psycho-educator
Resumption of pool activities (post-pandemic)
Publication and conference : “Les soins palliatifs et les besoins de répit de qualité ne s’arrêtent pas à 18 ans : la transition des jeunes ayant des besoins de santé complexes à l’âge adulte.” by Dr. Silvana Barone, M.D. (Le Phare), Maria Marano, M.D.(CHUSJ) and Marion Onno, social worker (Le Phare), AQSP Bulletin, fall 2023
RQSPAL - Annual Scientific Day. Participation of Lyne St-Martin, Executive Director in the panel : "Comment rapprocher la recherche des organismes communautaires?"
Interview with Dr. Silvana Barone in La Presse, business notebook, question of Leadership : "Ne jamais sous-estimer le choix des mots"
Participation of Le Phare and Dr. Silvana Barone at the press conference by Mr. Lionel Carmant: Government announcement on investment of $40 million over 5 years to increase respite care places for families of children living with disabilities, April 12, 2023
3 science-centric lunchtime free conferences on pediatric palliative care
Workshop : “Les soins palliatifs et les besoins de répit de qualité ne s’arrêtent pas à 18 ans : la transition des jeunes ayant des besoins de santé complexes à l’âge adulte.” by Dr. Silvana Barone, M.D. (Le Phare), Maria Marano, M.D.(CHUSJ) and Marion Onno, social worker (Le Phare), AQSP Bulletin, May 2023
Completion of the pilot study “Creating interpersonal links in pediatric palliative care through biomusic: a pilot study” subsidized by CRSH
“Voice Innovation Grant Award” research grant, May 2023
AQSP grant for translation and validation of the Conversation Guide on Serious Illnesses – pediatric version
Étoile de Pacho : Offering training for support during the grieving process
Project L’Appui : Offering training in pediatric palliative care
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association convention: “A place to surrender the immeasurable: Experiences of a support group for bereaved parents” presented by our social workers
The Blanchard Family Chair at the University of Montreal: Partnership for the enhancement of interprofessional training in palliative care
Presentation by our team on services offered at Le Phare, to pediatric hospitals, to representatives of various community service centres (CLSC) and the Integrated Health and Social Services Centre – Montérégie West (CISSSMO)
The year in review– Executive Committee
The impact of our donors
4.3 million
collected in donations received and in donations of goods and services to support children and their families. Thank you for your generosity!
The Rossy Family Foundation
The Rossy Family Foundation made a significant four-year commitment in support of Le Phare’s general operations, allowing us to develop our mission of community-based pediatric palliative care in Quebec.
"The Rossy Family Foundation is honoured to partner with Le Phare in support of its mission to care for families experiencing the most heartbreaking circumstances. Through this donation, Le Phare will offer needed respite, support, care, and comfort to children and their families every day."
Sara Pedersen
Managing Director, The Rossy Family Foundation

The Hewitt Foundation
Thank you to the Hewitt Foundation for enhancing our psychosocial support program by adding a second social worker position, now an essential aspect of the services we offer.

Success of the first edition of Illuminate Your Senses
Our annual event returned with a revamped format. Illuminate Your Senses was held at the Ritz on May 23, 2023. The event, co-chaired by Viviane Croux and Sylvain Corbeil, raised $283,000 for the cause. This intimate event allowed us to meet with you and discuss the current needs of the children and their families. Thank you to all the partners and participants!
Partnering presenters
Juliette’s Village
Marie-Eve, Juliette’s mother, generously shared her story with you for our annual campaign.

Juliette lived for almost 8 years without a definitive diagnosis aside from "a significant neurological impairment." At 4 months old, Juliette was this little girl in a big girl's body that was ravaged by her affliction. At Le Phare, I remember Julien, one of Juliette’s nurses, and our wonderful philosophical discussions on life. There was Tamara, a caregiver who took the time to create these incredible hairdos for Juliette; at home, there was only time for the necessities of Juliette’s care. Nancy, another of Juliette’s nurses, would bring in her homemade wontons to share with all of us. I so appreciated these small gestures; they left a lasting impression on me for they demonstrated the importance placed on Juliette and on our family. After Le Phare’s charity run in April of 2019, Juliette went in for respite care while the extended family prepared to leave for a week of rest in the sun. It was to be just another respite stay. Before leaving, Véronique was with us. She’s one of Le Phare’s nurses. We were chatting away while feeding Juliette. Little did we know that it would be our last shared moment with our Juliette. A few days before our return, her condition deteriorated rapidly and she passed away at Le Phare, surrounded by my in-laws, and us… albeit from a distance. Juliette had chosen to embark on her personal journey at the same time as us. I’m still quite emotional when I remember how the entire team gathered, forming an honor guard around Juliette as they accompanied her to the exit of Le Phare. Seeing the pain so evident in their shared countenance, sensing the attachment and love they felt for her. It is profoundly moving to realize the extent to which my daughter touched so many others outside of our immediate family. Accompanying a family preparing their final farewell to their child is something that the staff at Le Phare experiences on a regular basis. It speaks to their larger-than-life hearts and their boundless love.
Marie-Eve
Juliette’s mother; Juliette died at Le Phare; she was 7 years old
Shining Stars

A Successful half-marathon by Sylvain Corbeil
During the Marathon Beneva de Montréal, Sylvain Corbeil, Senior Vice-president of National Accounts and Business Services at Scotiabank, gave himself a challenge: to top his personal record in the half-marathon. In so doing, he raised more than $65,000 for the cause from the business community. Thank you, Sylvain, for highlighting Le Phare with the Quebec business community.

Charly & Co – One House, One Donation
With their fundraising campaign One House, One Donation, Charly & Co. committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from each real estate transaction completed on the Island of Montreal in 2023 to Le Phare. Their goal of $20,000 was easily achieved! As a sign of their great generosity, they also officially adopted a star, through the International Astronomical Union, to watch over the children and their families. Thank you for this unique involvement from the real estate community!

R2i – Teambuilding for a cause
Through various teambuilding activities, the R2i team, which specializes in technological solutions, is committed to raising funds in support of Le Phare’s mission. They raised nearly $9,000 in donations in their very first year of involvement by participating in a race at Parc Jean-Drapeau, a maple sugar shack outing and a raffle! Furthermore, it isn’t uncommon to encounter R2i team members as eager volunteers at events organized by Le Phare. Thank you for your big hearts. You are an exemplary business to emulate!
Board of Directors
François Gratton
Chair
Senior Advisor, PSG Chair
Marcel Martin
Vice-president
Interim Treasurer
District Vice President, Quebec and Eastern Canada – AGF Investments Inc.
Serge Lalonde
Secretary
Counsel, Dentons Canada LLP
Michèle Viau-Chagnon , C.Q.
Honorary member and co-founder
Rita Benyahia
Director
Director, Finance – Bell Canada
Isabelle Desmarais
Director
Assistant Syndic, Chambre de la Sécurité Financière – Parent Representative
Dre Tanya Di Genova
Director
Pediatric critical care physician – Montreal Children’s Hospital-MUHC
Véronique Gaumond-Carignan
Director
Founder – Homr Solutions
Samantha Golinski
Director
Vice President, Public Affairs & Global Communications – CAE
Dr Marc-Antoine Marquis
Director
Pediatrician, Pediatric Palliative Care, CHU Sainte-Justine
Dominic Paradis
Director
Vice President, Legal Affairs, and Corporate Secretary, National Bank of Canada
André Pratte
Director
Member of the Senior Advisors Group Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Financial results
For the period of April 1, 2023 and March 31,2024
Sources of funding
$7,44M total revenue
Cost breakdown
$7,53M total costs*
* Result : ($90,000) due to donations allocated to upcoming renovation projects (Nursing station, Snoezelen room, etc.)
Thank you to our generous donors!
Banque Nationale du Canada
Fondation J. Armand Bombardier
The Rossy Family Foundation
Fondation d'Amours
Fondation J.-Louis Lévesque
Fondation Molson
The Rossy Family Foundation
Amis de Jean-François
Banque Scotia
Croix Rouge canadienne
Dan Charron
Fondation R. Howard Webster
IA Groupe financier
Pattison
Power Corporation du Canada
Roxane Simard
The Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal
The Pomerantz Foundation
Tim Hortons - Division Québec
Anonyme (2)
Affinerie CCR - Une compagnie Glencore
Aide Mondiale aux Enfants (AME)
Altru Foundation inc
Annie Ouellet
Behaviour Interactive inc
Benevity inc
Bijouterie Rivet - Don en biens et services
Bingo Lachine
Birks Family Found. - Maison L.-J. Forget
BMO Banque de Montréal
CAE Inc.
Canada Life
Carlos Carreiro
Charly Aoudé
Cogeco Radio
Conam Charitable Foundation
Construction Kiewit Cie
Diane Champagne
DLGL Technologies Ltée
Élise Marcoux
Fondation André Gauthier
Fondation Ariane Riou et Réal Plourde
Fondation Benny&Co.
Fondation Choquette-Legault
Fondation du Grand Montréal
Fondation Énergie Valero du Canada
Fondation Familiale Trottier
Fondation Famille Mongeau
Fondation J. Armand Bombardier
Fondation J.A. DeSève
Fondation Jacques Francoeur
Fondation Lise et Richard Fortin
Fondation MarIsa
Fondation Norman Fortier
Fondation René Malo
Fondation Sibylla Hesse
Fondation Véromyka
Fondation Villa Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Ghislain Laroche
Gouvernement du Québec Ministre Responsable de l'habitation
Groupe Legault J.E. Mondou
Groupe M Ouellet inc
Marie-Annick Fournelle
Metro Richelieu inc
Michel Rousseau
Michèle Viau-Chagnon
Octave Maecenas Recrutement de cadres et cabinet conseil
Oeuvres Régis Vernet
Patrick Boucher
Race Roster
Robert Gratton
Sanimax ABP
Scotia Wealth Management
Services Financiers Groupe Investors inc
Structube ltée
TForce Holdings
The Anna & Louis Viglione Foundation
The Cole Foundation
Transport Bourassa inc
WSP Canada inc
Zeller Family Foundation
Anonyme (3)
L'équipe de Spark Foundry et tous les médias participants
Télé-Québec
TVA
Rogers
Bell Média
Corus
Radio-Canada
Cogeco
La Presse +
Pattison
Outfront
A light shines for you!
Achille Legendre
Adam Chabot
Alexandra Brodeur
Alexandra Némik
Aline (Harvey) Dijkman-Ryan
Amanda Cugurs
André Délisle
Annabelle Pallascio
Antoine Fournier
Anton Sheptukhin
Ariane Boudrias-Tanguay
Ariane Tanguay-Boudrias
Audréanne Tremblay
Ayden Raven
Benjamin Landry
Benjamin Matte
Benoit Lefebvre
Bérénice
Carl Vincent Kerr
Cédric Ducharme
Charlotte Duchênes-Best
Charlotte Forest
Charly Bédard
Christian Bernard
Christopher Sears
Claude Éthier
Claude Leduc
Claude Pageau
Claudine Vézina
Danceny Roy
Daniel Gauthier
Desneiges et Arthur Léger
Édouard Courchesne
Éliane Vigneault
Élie Chéron-Rioux
Éloi Fréchette Dechesne
Emma Lutz
Esteban Garcia
Éva Desjardins
Eva Mahi Jeewon
Fabrice Gioanni
Félix-Yidjen Masse
Florence Lavigne
Florence Loiselle
Florent Beauregard-Lacroix
Francesca
Francis Coutu
François Chantelois papa de Nikko
Frédéric
Georges Dussault
Gérard Nadeau
Gilles Limoges
Gloria Caruso
Hartlyn Murray
Isaac Dupré
Jack Baker
Jacqueline
Jean-Marie Roland
Joannie Proulx
Johanne Giroux
Josée Dambreville Goulet
Julia de Luca
Juliette Deschamps
Juliette Ouellet
Karim Kouma
Karine Tremblay
Lauralie Daigle
Lea Masih
Line Cyr
Lise Gauthier
Logan Dépeault
Loïc Paquette
Lorenzo Ricciardi
Lorraine Gagnon
Loryanne Dion-Bourdages
Lou Fernandez
Luc Moreau
Lucas Bowes
Madeleine Guérin
Maélie Langlois
Maëlle Chouinard
Maëlle Décarie-Limoges
Maëlle Sicard
Marie-Ange Forest
Mary Lima-Palmieri
Mathieu Guérin
Mathilde Longtin
Maxence Nadeau
Maximiliano Agredo Vega
Mélanie Echeverri
Mélanie Lemay
Michel Pelletier
Mireille Cloutier
Mya Pelletier
Nathan Lanoville
Nathaniel Phaneuf
Némik Alex
Nicolas Trozzo
Noah Mercier
Noah Ruzindana
Normand Labonté
Oliver
Olivier Devost
Olivier Legault
P. Christopher Sears
Patrick Portier
Paul et Ruby Gagnon
Rapahelle Sohna Fontaine
Raphaëlle Sohna Fontaine
Raymonde Tadier
Renaud Cormier-Poucet
Renaud Turcotte
Rita Mador
Robert Jolicoeur
Samuel Azoulay
Serge Clément
Sofia Hayes
Sylvain
Sylvie Parent
Thérèse Beaudet Dolbec
Tristan Nadeau
Venise Rousseau
Vincent St-Pierre
Vinnie Pileggi
Vivianne Jutras
Xavier Poirier
Zachary Auclair
Fundraising organizers
Ad Hoc Recherche
Amis pour la cause / Friends 4 cause
Café Barista microtorréfacteur
Cercle de la relève philanthropique du Phare
Charly & Co - Une maison Un don
Claudette Léger-Gauthier - Vente de plantes
Clinique Angus - Mud Girl
Club des retraités Esso de Montréal, secteur Ouest
Collège Jean-Eudes
Conseil québécois de la franchise
Défi Caritatif 2023 - Merci aux coureurs
Duo Carrosserie Perfection - Lav-o-Thon
École Marie-Clarac
Edith Lacroix - Livre Le petit oiseau rare
Famille Perreault, Loyer & Bourgeois
Fondation Simon le Zèbre
Francine Tousignant - Escapade vélo
François Charpentier - Collecte de fonds annuelle en mémoire de Vincent
GM Paillé - Rallye-vélo
Halo MVMT
Jacob Dion
Josée Desjardins
La Banque Laurentienne
La famille Rouillard
Le Fond Elizabeth
Le Marché des Fêtes du Collectif créatif de Mtl
Les Lucioles du Phare et Magalie Moreau
Linda Tessier - Vente de garage
Luna Vachon
Martine St-Pierre - J'aime le chocolat
Michael Lavoie - La Marche pour le Phare
Octasic
Provigo Angus
R2I
Rafael Boucher - Courir pour la cause
Rona Bélanger
Sylvain Corbeil - Demi-marathon de Montréal
Valérie Vincent - Bazar
Hospital partners


