A Night of Comedy Raises $1.1M for IBD Care, Thanks to You

From left to right: Brian Thompson, President & CEO, MGHF; Matthew Stotland and Ryan Abrams, co-presidents of the McGill IBD Research Group Committee of volunteers; Dr. Waqqas Afif, Division Director of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, MUHC.

Philanthropy, community, and lots of laughs were welcome guests at A Night of Comedy, the annual fundraising event of the McGill IBD Research Group in partnership with the Montreal General Hospital Foundation (MGHF).

Headliner Joey Elias performed along with Olivia Benaroche, Chris Venditto and Claudine Napoleon.

The event raised $400,000 in donations and partnerships, plus $125,000 from an anonymous donor and $600,000 from Harold and Ryan Abrams, amounting to more than $1.1 M! These funds will support research, training, and patient care at the IBD clinics of three McGill University teaching hospitals: the MUHC IBD Centre at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH), and the IBD clinics at the Montreal Children’s and Jewish General Hospitals.

Funds raised will significantly improve the quality of life of those living with IBD, helping them access exceptional multidisciplinary care from not only doctors, but psychologists, nutritionists, nurses, and other specialists. Thanks to all donors, guests, and collaborators for your inspiring generosity!

Dr. Talat Bessissow Honoured with the Dr. Ernest Seidman Award in IBD Excellence

Dr. Waqqas Afif and Dr. Talat Bessissow.

This year’s recipient of the prestigious Dr. Ernest Seidman Award in IBD Excellence is Dr. Talat Bessissow, gastroenterologist at the MUHC IBD Centre at the Montreal General Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at McGill. In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Bessissow is a renowned researcher, focusing on the role of mucosal healing in IBD, early detection of neoplasia in ulcerative colitis, and improving disease related outcomes.

“The entire MGHF team congratulates Dr. Talat Bessissow on receiving this year’s Dr. Ernest Seidman Award in IBD Excellence,” says Brian Thompson, President & CEO of the MGHF. “His dedication aligns with our Foundation’s commitment to support transformative patient care. To all our donors, thank you! Your generosity makes a huge difference in the quality of life of people living with IBD.”

Thanks to people like Dr. Bessissow, his colleagues, and generous donors, the care offered to patients at the MUHC IBD clinics, including the IBD Centre at the MGH, is exceptional, treating not only the physical symptoms but also the psychological and lifestyle implications of this disease.

Let’s Transform Healthcare Together

“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award,” Dr. Bessissow says. “This award for excellence in IBD is the cumulative effort of many years of clinical and research work and will encourage me to strive for excellence. This achievement could not be possible without support from my family, my IBD colleagues, and the entire IBD staff. IBD can impact many aspects of life, and learning to live with this disease presents many challenges we are learning to help our patients overcome by offering multidisciplinary support – thanks to generous donors. Philanthropy makes all this possible! Thank you to the McGill IBD Research Group and to the Montreal General Hospital Foundation.”

Every year, the McGill IBD Research Group Committee of volunteers (Matthew Stotland and Ryan Abrams are committee co-presidents), collaborates with our Montreal General Hospital Foundation for this IBD fundraiser to support research and patient care for people living with IBD. The event takes place in November, Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Month.

Thank you to all our donors! Special thanks to our top sponsors: Harold and Ryan Abrams, ; CIBC Ansky-Coulson Private Wealth Management, and Sanavie.