Touched by the mission of the newly created Fondation Nez pour Vivre, Quebecor is proud to come on board as a major partner and help the Foundation achieve its fundraising targets. Nez pour Vivre’s mission is to support and guide young adults aged 18 to 30 with cancer through the healthcare system to make sure they receive the specialized care and services they need.

Breaking the Guinness World Record for clown noses

To raise funds to fulfill its mission, Fondation Nez pour Vivre and Quebecor are inviting all Quebecers to take part in a giant gathering that will try to break the Guinness World Record for the most people simultaneously wearing clown noses. The target is 17,000 people. The Nez Pour Vivre gathering will be held on May 4, 2014, at noon, at Place des festivals in Montréal’s Quartier des spectacles. The event will also include a show featuring a number of Québec performers. The clown noses, universal symbols of hope, will also be sold across Québec.

Quebecor will lend its support by promoting the gathering and the Foundation in its many media outlets, including 24 Heures, Le Journal de Montréal, Le Journal de Québec, TVA, MAtv and the Canoë portal, ensuring the benefit receives the exposure it deserves.

In Nicolas’s memory: The clown nose as a symbol of hope

Fondation Nez pour Vivre owes its existence to the tireless dedication of Francine Laplante. Ms. Laplante also created the Fondation des Gouverneurs de l’espoir, where she worked for years to improve the lives of children with cancer. While doing this invaluable work, she met two young men, Nicolas Marchand and Louis-Philippe Janvier, who inspired her to set up the Fondation Nez pour Vivre. She will always remember their character and their heroic struggle. The choice of the clown nose symbol honours Nicolas’ memory: it was his dream to create a large-scale organization based on this symbol of optimism, joy and self-deprecation. Louis-Philippe, a brilliant, sensitive, talented man who passed away at just 26, remains alive in Francine Laplante’s memories of their discussions and shared projects, on which the mission of the Fondation Nez pour Vivre is based.

If this cause is alive and well today, it is in no small part thanks to the dedication of Francine Laplante. This extraordinary woman has been supporting children and young adults with cancer for years. By establishing the Nez pour Vivre foundation, she is fulfilling the promise she made when her son beat cancer: the promise to support research and healthcare for young people and help give cancer patients the best possible life, despite their suffering. We were deeply touched by Francine’s story, her commitment, and her cause, which fits well with Quebecor’s strong tradition of supporting healthcare and medical research charities, something we have been doing for over half a century. It was natural for Quebecor to stand with Francine Laplante and Fondation Nez pour Vivre.

In memory of Louis-Philippe: Hope for people aged 18 to 30

By taking part in Nez pour Vivre fundraising events, Quebecers can contribute to achievement of the Foundation’s five objectives: setting up dedicated social and psychological services for young adults, starting new basic and clinical research projects, developing new therapeutic options and research protocols, monitoring treatment side effects and centralizing treatment at a single site to support the development of expertise in the field of cancer pathologies in patients aged 18 to 30.

Louis-Philippe is also the brother of Marie-Ève Janvier, an artist who is part of the Quebecor family, with releases on the Musicor label as both a solo artist and part of a duo. Knowing how important the Fondation Nez pour Vivre is to Marie-Ève makes this cause all the more meaningful to Quebecor and the employees who work with her.

On May 4, Quebecor will be at the big event at Place des festivals. We hope to see you there.