“While my daughter Anne-Marie was at Sainte-Justine, I had a front-row seat to the quality of the facilities and the excellent care she was given. I realized how lucky we are to have a hospital of this calibre right here in Quebec. It’s a tremendous privilege. I decided to get involved with the Foundation because Sainte-Justine changed her life, and mine, forever.”
In August 2022, Francis Vincent got a call no parent should ever have to take: his 15-year-old daughter, Anne-Marie, had received an electrical shock strong enough to stop her heart. She had been helping out with a student canoe race when her boat got stuck under a bridge. As she was trying to dislodge it, she accidentally came into contact with a hidden electrical wire. That’s when her life turned upside down.
After a couple of police officers got her heart started again, she was rushed to Sainte-Justine, whose trauma care team treats 75% of Quebec’s most serious accidents. The shock had caused some considerable damage to her brain, which meant that Anne-Marie had to spend a month at Sainte-Justine, followed by three more at the Marie Enfant Rehabilitation Centre (CRME).
In the two years since, she has had some adjustments to make, both at school and in her career outlook. Despite some ongoing difficulties talking and concentrating, and the fact that it takes her longer to get things done, she has continued with her studies. She’s now enrolled in a criminology program at CEGEP.
Francis is proud of how far his daughter has come. He won’t soon forget the long journey they’ve been on together, working closely with the multidisciplinary teams at Sainte-Justine and the CRME.
“What struck me the most while Anne-Marie was at Sainte-Justine was how incredibly skilled, passionate and attentive the staff were,” he said. “Everyone took such great care of each young patient, as well as each of their families. It warms your heart to see that. When your child is in critical condition, you need someone to listen and reassure you. You can rest a little easier, knowing they are in good hands.”
Donating securities: A win-win way to give
When Anne-Marie was finally discharged, Francis made a promise to give back to the hospital that had saved her life. That’s when he found out about donating publicly traded securities, an option that lets you give generously while still tapping into a number of tax benefits.*
Donating securities is a great way to make a difference. The tax benefits you receive let you maximize the value of your donation. If I can do more and give more like this, why wouldn’t I?
By giving to the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, Francis is helping to meet some of the hospital’s biggest priorities in patient care, medical research and healthcare education, not to mention efforts to humanize the services provided, which he thinks is especially important.
“From my perspective, it’s all about ensuring the well-being of every child, and I saw first-hand that that’s what drives everyone at Sainte-Justine too,” he said. “When Anne-Marie was in intensive care and rehab, there were all sorts of mascots and other things to lift her spirits. It was fantastic. All those kids were going through a really tough time, but because Sainte-Justine did everything possible to make the experience less traumatic, they left with some good memories.”
Francis’s goal is to make more people aware of the benefits of donating securities, which he feels are still largely unknown. “If I can help spread the word about this type of donation and get other people to up their contributions, I will have done what I set out to do.”
When you buy shares in something, you’re making an investment. And when you donate shares, you’re investing in children’s future.
For more information on gifts of publicly traded securities, feel free to reach out to Nathalie Gagnon, Director of Planned Giving and Legal Advisor, at 514-345-4710 or ngagnon@fondationstejustine.org.
*Please talk to your financial or legal advisor to learn more about the legal and tax rules applicable to you.
