Centre Philou

When Philippe was born in 2000, he was very ill. The first years of his life were extremely difficult. Today, he is completely dependent and suffers from severe cerebral palsy and epilepsy. And yet Philippe has become an inspiration to many and, since 2005, a facility named in his honour has been created in Montréal by Philippe’s parents after they discovered following their son’s birth that almost no resources existed to help with respite, psychological or financial issues.

he respite service is the central activity of Centre Philou, intended for 21-year-olds and under who are poly-disabled and whose physical disability takes precedence over their intellectual disability. The Centre also provides professional psychosocial and other specialized counselling to help families cope with the challenges of having a severely disabled child. Additionally, it offers an eight-week stimulation camp for children between the ages of 4 and 21 years old. Two innovative development programs, Paprika and the alternative Philou School, for children aged 0 to 5 and 21 to 29 years, respectively, are now offered at Centre Philou providing respite, education and rehabilitation in a single place.

“Through its constant support, Power Corporation has not only helped Centre Philou carry on its day-to-day work with poly-disabled children, but also made a significant contribution to the growth of the organization, which in turn will ensure the long-term well-being of these children and their families, as well as foster compassion and understanding for the most vulnerable members of our society,” says Diane Chênevert, Founder and General Manager of Centre Philou.