This year, Enfant Soleil is donating more than $4.8 million in the Capitale-Nationale region to improve the care and overall health of children in the area. It supports over a hundred healthcare establishments across the province, in addition to giving vital support to the four major pediatric centres, which provide specialized and superspecialized care to all children who need it.
Discover a project that will make our little sunshines glow with health.
Centre mère-enfant Soleil (CMES) – CHU de Québec-Université Laval
As a specialized pediatric centre for the greater Québec City area and the entire eastern part of the province, CMES has benefited from major annual support from Enfant Soleil since 1988. This year, this contribution is setting a new record: $4.8 million to improve and enhance the care provided to the more than 62,000 children and adolescents who are treated at CMES each year.
This contribution supports several initiatives, including a molecular diagnostics platform, a set of cutting-edge equipment that are revolutionizing care and research. Specialists analyze the DNA of young patients to detect abnormalities and identify their causes. Children and their families can thus obtain clear and precise information on diseases of a genetic origin. This expertise helps ensure each child receives the right care, whether for autism spectrum disorder, a developmental delay or a rare disease. Beyond the diagnosis, it’s a real relief for families to have access to specialized care right here in Québec City.
A look back at a project carried out thanks to Enfant Soleil’s support
A first in Quebec: Walker with exoskeleton
Thanks to funding by Enfant Soleil, the Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec (IRDPQ) was able to acquire a walker with exoskeleton, a robotized system that supports the child’s weight and guides his or her walking movements. This tool helps children with severe disabilities strengthen their leg, trunk and neck muscles, while helping them learn how to walk. It also speeds up recovery from surgery. This acquisition will benefit more than 750 young people with reduced motor skills each year, while also contributing to studies on its benefits.
Other projects supported in the area
Pressure sensor mat
Thanks to this mat, 5,000 children ages 2 to 17 receiving yearly follow-ups at the IRDPQ will be able to benefit from a more precise and less restrictive evaluation of their posture and gait. This will reduce the number of examinations required, easing the burden on families.
The pressure sensor mat provides clear, immediate answers. For children living with cerebral palsy, a developmental delay or physical limitations, the care team can intervene more quickly and adapt the care to the child’s actual needs.
2 adapted swings
These swings offer multi-handicapped children the benefits of movement, both playful and therapeutic, by stimulating their vestibular system and strengthening their muscles.
Beneficial to both physical and mental health, this type of equipment promotes social integration and reduces feelings of isolation, reinforcing a sense of belonging.
*Projects financed through the Sport and Sustainable Health Fund, which aims to promote and support healthy lifestyle habits in children through sports, physical activity and healthy eating while also fostering emotional and mental well-being.
Sports equipment
Adapted equipment for teenagers designed to encourage physical activity in young people. Benefiting both physical and mental health, sports equipment encourages movement and social interaction, fostering a greater sense of belonging to the centre.
*Project financed through the Sport and Sustainable Health Fund, which aims to promote and support healthy lifestyle habits in children through sports, physical activity and healthy eating while also fostering emotional and mental well-being.
Privacy screens and memory foam mattress toppers
Privacy screens will provide families with a private space, promoting serenity during end-of-life stays. Mattress toppers will help reduce pressure sores and enhance children’s comfort. These new additions will give families greater privacy, comfort and peace of mind during this difficult time.
Feeding pump backpacks
This equipment promotes mobility and freedom for all tube-fed children, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the rooms of the house and even take a walk outdoors.
Battery for Airvo device
For families whose child needs constant respiratory assistance, this battery brings new freedom, allowing them to walk around without interrupting their care. It’s a genuine relief that helps them regain a sense of normalcy and enjoy life more together.
Charles-Édouard Demers, Capitale-Nationale's Enfant Soleil
He and his family help the cause shine in their region.
Charles-Édouard was diagnosed with a benign but active brain tumour, which began to grow more rapidly than expecting, threatening to cause a permanent loss of sight. In just a few months, he received 70 chemotherapy treatments, which were completed in June 2023. The tumour’s growth is now under control.
Full of energy and surprisingly mature for his age, Charles-Édouard continues to enjoy sports and music.