“Growing Beyond” to make 550,000 lights shine bright
between now and December 7
Montreal, November 27, 2023 — The CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation and its partners, Rythme and METRO, are proud to be kicking off the 16th annual Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights campaign. Starting today and until December 7, people across Quebec are invited to spark hope for the children, families and teams of Sainte-Justine with a gift of $5 per light. The Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights will grow brighter every day as donations roll in. The goal is to make 550,000 lights twinkle on the Tree in support of Sainte-Justine’s ambition to build a better and healthier future for children across the province. This year also marks the tenth year that METRO is giving Metro and Metro Plus customers in Quebec the chance to make a checkout donation to the campaign or give online when buying their groceries at Metro.ca.
When a child gets sick, it can be overwhelming for them and their family. But hope has the power to conquer all. With the holidays just around the corner, this hope is shining brighter than ever through each of the lights on the Tree. In addition to delivering an incredible message of comfort and support, the generosity of the community will help make the healthcare experience more comprehensive and more human for all our young patients.
A story that is sure to warm your heart, from Marie-Fée and Fred Pellerin
“Go home tonight and open up your Christmas presents. We’ll see you back here first thing tomorrow morning.” And just like that, on December 24, 2019, Sainte-Justine entered into the lives of Marie-Fée Pellerin and her family. The “horrifying” results of a scan performed in Trois-Rivières the day before left them no choice but to cut short their holiday celebrations and make a beeline for Sainte-Justine. Now 18, Marie-Fée is opening up for the first time about her diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
A deeply rooted commitment to Sainte-Justine
Several wonderful allies, all of whom have a special connection with Sainte-Justine, will be lending their support to the 16th annual Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights campaign. CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation ambassador Guy A Lepage will be joined by Marie-Eve Janvier, Fred Pellerin and his daughter, Marie-Fée, as we reach out to people across Quebec to light up the Tree. Together, they are determined to give back to the institution that has changed their lives forever.
The Sainte-Justine Youth Tree of Lights campaign
From November 1 to 26, 2023, students in the schools belonging to the Fédération des établissements d’enseignement privés (FEEP) did their part to contribute to the cause as part of the second edition of the Sainte-Justine Youth Tree of Lights campaign. As a result of their efforts this year, more than 175,000 bulbs are already sparkling on the Tree. Inspired by the touching stories of ambassadors Anne-Marie, Elizabeth, Ethan, Roméo and Victoria, next-generation philanthropists across Quebec have once again shown how powerful and community-minded they are. It is now up to the rest of the province to build on this momentum and light up the Tree to the very top.
Sparking hope for families across Quebec
From the Outaouais to Nunavik, from Abitibi-Témiscamingue to the Côte-Nord, and everywhere in between, the Tree of Lights is helping to bring magic, hope and comfort to the entire Sainte-Justine community.
The PSA for this year’s campaign, featuring a song performed by Fred Pellerin and Coral Egan, is a reminder that many families will be spending the holidays in the hospital this year. The Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights will be the only tree they will be able to marvel at. And the only gift they want is for their child to get better. Every light sponsored is a beacon of hope and the best possible present that the children and families of Sainte-Justine could ever wish for. Watch the campaign video.
The campaign will kick off November 23 and run on radio and TV, signs and billboards, and print and social media, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Grandé, Lamajeure, Medialliance, Philippe Richelet, Publicité Sauvage, Rodeo FX, Roy & Turner, SOMA and several other generous media partners.
Highlights:
- Between now and December 7, the Tree of Lights will grow brighter every day as more donations are received. It will then continue to light up the night sky in a show of support for the patients, families and staff who will be spending the holidays at Sainte-Justine.
- From November 27 to December 7, Rythme listeners will be able to tune in live to the daily lighting-up ceremony hosted by Nicolas Noël, on Mondays through Thursdays at 5:20 p.m., during the Y’est 4 h quelque part show.
- For Giving Tuesday, if 300,000 lights are shining on the Tree by midnight on November 28, altona Diagnostics and the Famille du lait will together pitch in $50,000.
- For the tenth year in a row, METRO is teaming up with the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights to enable customers to make a checkout donation through any Metro or Metro Plus store in Quebec or online at Metro.ca. The funds will be used to help Sainte-Justine carry out its work and support the hospital’s Social Services through the METRO Sainte-Justine Family Assistance Fund.
- All donors are cordially invited to join the Twinkle Club! By sponsoring 10 or more bulbs on the Tree at treeoflights.org, Mega Bloks®, a member of the Mattel® family, will contribute 5 extra lights, up to a campaign total of $40,000.
- At Sainte-Justine, donations play a key role in maximizing the quality of patient care and research. A veritable army of caregivers and researchers from a broad range of disciplines is on hand to fight for children’s health, drawing on their collective cutting-edge expertise.
Links:
- To watch the campaign video >
- To make a donation >
- For more details: treeoflights.org >
- Social media: #legrandsapin
Credits:
PSA produced by: SOMA
Concept by: Guillaume Ferron et Cristina Martins
Director: Cristina Martins
Postproduction: Rodeo FX
Distribution: Lamajeure
Photography: Philippe Richelet
Media agency: Médialliance
For more information or to arrange an interview:
Junior Bombardier
Roy & Turner Communications
514-844-9678
jbombardier@roy-turner.com
