A record-breaking edition for the Casino contre le Cancer benefiting the Montreal Cancer Institute with $ 135,000 raised for research in immunotherapy

MONTREAL, Oct. 2,  2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The third edition of the Casino contre le Cancer took place last Friday, September 26^th, at Le Windsor Ballrooms. Filled with gastronomy, glamour and excitement, the evening brought together hundreds of young professionals, doctors, researchers, partners and sponsors, including Merrill DataSite, Desjardins Securities and Richter, all of whom mobilized around a common goal: supporting local research in cancer immunotherapy.

The organizers of this exceptional evening, which quickly became a "must-attend", the Montreal Cancer Institute's Young Ambassadors Circle and Ms. Maral Tersakian, Executive Director, are very proud to announce a record edition, with a net amount of $ 135,000 raised. This amount will be entirely dedicated to funding research in cancer immunotherapy via the Diane Asselin Fund. Since this Fund and the Casino contre le Cancer were established in 2012, a total of $ 315,000 was raised for that purpose locally, in Montreal.

To start the evening off, VIP guests chose between the Dinner or the Poker Tournament. The five course VIP dinner was created by the renowned Relais & Châteaux Chef Jérôme Ferrer and his team from Restaurant Europea. During the VIP Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament, enthusiasts, seasoned professionals and WSOP champions including Charles-Alexandre Sylvestre, Pascal Lefrancois and Marc-André Ladouceur went all in for the cause, in company of the NASCAR driver Isabelle Tremblay. The final table will be played in a VIP atmosphere on October 18^th, 2014, on the main table of the Playground Poker Club.

The "Vintage Vegas" themed Casino Night followed the first part of the evening in a most festive spirit, with gaming tables and a silent auction, allowing all guests to bet against cancer. An open bar, food stations, special performances by visual artist Antoine Tavaglione (TAVA), Projet Aeolia and Scarlett James, music by DJ Abeille, video content created by Circo de Bakuza and a luxurious experience by Armani Beauty made the evening truly magical. The three "best dressed" guests as selected by Fashion is Everywhere were awarded with generous Armani Beauty gift baskets.

For pictures of the evening and for further information, please visit:
www.casinocontrelecancer.com/fr/en

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About the Diane Asselin Fund for Immunotherapy
The Montreal Cancer Institute and its team of affiliated researchers firmly believe in immunotherapy as the leading and innovative step towards the cure for cancer. As such, the Casino contre le Cancer was created as an annual event to help support the Diane Asselin Fund, a fund dedicated to research in immunotherapy. 

The Young Ambassadors Circle
The Montreal Cancer Institute's Young Ambassadors Circle is a group comprised of young leaders from various professional backgrounds aged 25 – 40, each holding the Institute's mission close to their heart. The Young Ambassadors play a key role in the organizing and promotion of the Casino contre le Cancer, a very special annual fundraiser, which started in 2012. Thanks to its three editions, the Casino contre le Cancer has now raised a net total of $315,000, while becoming a much-enjoyed "must-attend".

About the Montreal Cancer Institute
The philanthropic role of the Institute is fundamental: to support research that will ultimately lead to victory and cure of cancer. The Montreal Cancer Institute is one of the community's leading non-profit organizations, dedicating itself to the challenging global fight against cancer. Since it was founded 65 years ago, the Institute has brought us much closer to overcoming this battle focusing its philanthropic initiatives on the financing of research and training in oncology. Thanks to the Institute's keen determination, more than one hundred researchers have received the finest training in the field. Those affiliated with the Institute are also now considered to be amongst the best in the world. These skilled and accomplished researchers help to make the medical breakthroughs which save lives and provide renewed hope to thousands of families across Québec. The Institute is run by a very devoted team and is supported by a board of directors led by Mr. André Boulanger, the President of Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie. 

SOURCE: Montreal Cancer Institute

Ana Marinescu, Member of the Montreal Cancer Institute's Young Ambassadors Circle, [email protected], 514-501-0262