MONTREAL — Focus Montreal introduces Montrealers to people who are shaping our community, bringing their stories into focus.
It airs on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and at midnight.
Take a look at who we’re meeting this week on Focus Montreal:
Partners for Life
It’s mental health awareness week and Quebec’s Mental Illness Foundation is celebrating a milestone.
The group announced this week that it has officially educated more than a million young people about depression over the past 18 years.
The Partners for Life program sends trained facilitators into high schools across the province to teach students about the signs of depression — how to spot it — and how to ask for help in their communities.
The idea is to break taboos and provide resources because the consequences of depression can be absolutely devastating for young people.
Hugo Vermette and Julie Gagnon are two young facilitators with the Partners for Life program. The pair stopped by Focus Montreal to discuss the program.
KINOVA’s robotic arms
Montreal-based company KINOVA is the latest recipient of the Governor General’s Innovation Award. It’s specialty is robotic arms.
Company founder Charles Deguire was inspired by his uncle Jacques who was living with muscular dystrophy.
Jacques had macgyvered himself a makeshift arm which he used to perform a variety of tasks.
After his unfortunate passing in 1993, Deguire took up the robotic arm idea and elaborated on it and thus JACO was born.
Today, JACO, improves the lives of people with reduced mobility by giving users a true sense of autonomy.
Companies like Google, Toyota and NASA have all adopted the device.
Senior anchor Jamie Orchard sat down with Deguire to learn about his incredible invention and how he felt after receiving the award.
A Night at the Museum
The volunteer association of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is presenting the third annual A Night at the Museum event on May 14.
This event aims to raise funds to allow thousands of children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods to visit the museum throughout the year.
A Night at the Museum is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for young people to experience an evening activity entirely designed for them.
The family-friendly event is a great excuse to expose children to the arts.
Equipped with an explorer’s kit, kids will get creative solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles.
To date, over 300,000 visitors with special needs have benefited from this program.
Event organizers, Louise Giroux and Alysia Yip-Hoi, join senior anchor Jamie Orchard to talk about the adventure-filled evening.
For more information or to purchase your ticket visit the museum’s website.