The McGill IBD Research Group, in partnership with the Montreal General Hospital Foundation, will hold its annual fundraising event on Thursday, November 30 (8 pm) at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall (7141 Sherbrooke Street West) in NDG featuring a night of comedy with Sugar Sammy. Prominent Quebec media personality Marini Orsini will serve as emcee.
This event raises funds for patient-care at the IBD clinics in the McGill teaching hospitals – the MUHC IBD Centre at the Montreal General Hospital, and the IBD clinics at the Montreal Children’s and Jewish General Hospitals. In addition to offering continuous support for IBD nurses, auxiliary & support staff, and psychologists, the group is hoping to raise enough support to hire a new part-time nurse for the IBD clinic at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. This nurse will significantly improve the quality of care provided to the IBD pediatric population. The objective is to raise $380,000.
The honouree this year will be Dr. Albert Cohen, chief of Gastroenterology at the Jewish General Hospital, who will receive the Dr. Ernest Seidman Award in IBD Excellence.

Tickets are $250 for the comedy show at 8 pm. The event will be preceded by a VIP cocktail, catered by Premiere Catering (the catering arm of the popular restaurant Burger Bar), for sponsors.  Music will be provided by Swoon Show Band, featuring Thomas Postigo (Marina Orsini’s son).

Ryan Abrams and Matthew Stotland are the co-Presidents of the McGill IBD Research Group.

The McGill IBD Research Group was established in 1992 by concerned members of the community to ensure financial support for IBD clinics at McGill University’s teaching hospitals. Its mandate is to continue to provide important services for those living with IBD, as well as their friends and family, with the overall goal of improving quality of life and preventing complications. Services include accessible, state of the art patient-centered care provided by multidisciplinary teams of dedicated professionals; cutting edge clinical research on the genetic and environmental causes of IBD, novel, non-invasive diagnostic methods, the most up to date therapies; training the next generation of clinicians and scientists dedicated to treating and searching for the cure of IBD; and raising awareness about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis through patient education and community outreach programs.

 November is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Month. Canada has one of the highest incidence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which consists of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. And the number is climbing. It is estimated that there are approximately 27,000 people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis in the Greater Montreal region

 Sugar Sammy is one of the hottest comedians on the international circuit. The New York Times calls him “A fearless comic with a talent for provoking both laughter and outrage.” He has performed over 2,000 shows in 32 countries in English, French, Hindi, and Punjabi. “Fluent in Funny” as the Washington Post describes him, he hits on cultural, social and political themes with great charm and finesse. He is a king of crowd work and audience interaction. A television star on both sides of the pond, his accomplishments include his current role as one of the celebrity judges on La France a un Incroyable talent, France’s version of America’s Got Talent.
Tickets for the fundraiser are available online a online https://www.mghfoundation.com/en/events/mcgill-ibd-fundraiser/ or by calling 514-934-8230

The cost is $250 for the show only.