“For a long time, the promotion of health has been at the heart of our mission and those of our partners, the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Foundation. Together, we are turning to the future by creating a first Centre of Excellence in Health Promotion whose targeted clienteles include children – with the priority on those aged 0 to 5 years – and their parents, as well as pregnant women,” explained Mr. Dao.

“The creation of the Centre of Excellence constitutes a special way to make a significant contribution to the promotion of health and the prevention of disease through an approach that aims for the optimal development of children and the acquisition of healthy life habits. What’s more, this partnership will help integrate prevention in the core practices of health professionals and change the standards of society through the mobilization of communities,” added Mr. Chagnon.

As part of the implementation of this Centre of Excellence, which brings together a range of experts in paediatric health promotion, several projects have already been identified:

• As first priority, to provide only healthy foods to the patients, employees, physicians and visitors
• To set up a hospital that is friendly for babies – a project that encourages breastfeeding
• To implement the “UniverSanté” for families – a health promotion project for parents with the involvement of the Sainte-Justine Hospital Foundation
• To establish a partnership with passeportsante.net, a Web site financed by the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon whose mission is to offer the public practical, reliable and accessible information and solutions for prevention and to promote health.

The consolidation and development of prevention and health promotion activities for children and their families has three main targets:

• Health care focused on the needs of prevention, including nutrition, physical activity and avoiding smoking, etc.
• Safety, such as preventing injuries at home and promoting a violence-free environment
• Stimulation – attachment and early stimulation.

In order to set up this Centre of Excellence in Health Promotion, the Sainte-Justine UHC has hired Dr. Véronique Déry, a recognized specialist in the field of public health.

With Dr. Déry, the new direction of health promotion will gradually implement inside the hospital itself the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) so that
Sainte-Justine’s will obtain accreditation as a “Health Promoting Hospital.” “In addition,” explained Dr. Déry, “working closely with the key players in other health institutions and with public health in the Montréal region and throughout Québec is vital to the success of our project.”

Working hand in hand, the Sainte-Justine UHC, the hospital’s foundation and the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon have made possible the visionary project that
Sainte-Justine’s is presenting today. “This project will change the future. The Foundation is actively involved in interesting other donors to join in and help prepare the future now so children will grow up healthy,” concluded Mr. Boucher, the departing Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sainte-Justine Hospital Foundation.

Source:
Sainte-Justine UHC
Sainte-Justine Hospital Foundation
Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon