One more step to help girls in Quebec get active and take charge of their
health
MONTREAL, Jan. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Encouraging girls and
young women to be physically active is known to support healthy
development and boost self-esteem. However, the statistics are not
reassuring — with nine out of ten teenage girls not meeting
Canada's physical activity
guidelines, there is an opportunity to help promote a healthy
active lifestyle. Sun Life is pleased to announce new partnerships
with FitSpirit and 21.02 High Performance Hockey Centre Les
Canadiennes (Centre 21.02). They are aiming at helping young girls
become more active and develop the next generation of female
athletes.
These partnerships align with Sun Life's commitment to help
Quebecers take charge of their health. FitSpirit's mission to get
teenage girls active for life and Centre 21.02's programs fit
perfectly with this goal. They also align with Sun Life's global
commitment to support diabetes awareness, prevention, care and
reseach. One in ten Quebecers[1] are living with diabetes, which is
the fifth leading cause of premature death worldwide. Physical
activity and healthy eating help prevent and control type 2
diabetes. "I'm proud of these new partnerships, which focus on
concrete and practical health programs. When young girls see
inspiring female role models from their own community come out of
these programs, it makes a lasting impression and has positive
health impacts," said Jacques
Goulet, President of Sun Life Canada. "Helping people live
healthier lives is central to our purpose. When we help young women
get active and support the rising generation of female athletes, we
know we're making a difference."
"I'm thrilled with this commitment from a partner such as Sun
Life. This partnership will make it possible to hold an event this
summer that brings mothers and daughters together for some physical
activity. It also demonstrates Sun Life's commitment to making a
real difference in the lives of teenage girls and reaching even
more women," said Claudine Labelle,
Founder and President of FitSpirit.
By partnering with a world-class high-performance hockey centre
for elite female athletes in Montreal, Sun Life is helping support our
local hockey hopefuls. "The Centre 21.02 is the missing link in the
development of an elite hockey player. It is the first high
performance Centre recognized by competent authorities such as
Hockey Quebec, member of Hockey Canada. Welcoming Sun Life as one
of the founding partners makes it possible to realize and bring to
life this long thought-out project, but above all to establish a
viable professional career and also to inspire a new generation of
girls to play hockey. I will be forever grateful to you",
Daniele Sauvageau, president and
chief executive officer of the Centre 21.02.
Sun Life in the community
At Sun Life, we are
committed to building sustainable, healthier communities for life.
Community wellness is an important part of our sustainability
commitment and we believe that by actively supporting the
communities in which we live and work, we can help build a positive
environment for our Clients, employees, advisors and shareholders.
Our philanthropic support focuses on health, with an emphasis on
diabetes awareness, prevention, and care initiatives through our
Team Up Against DiabetesTM platform; and mental health,
supporting programs and organizations with a focus on building
resilience and coping skills.
We also partner with sports properties in key markets to further
our commitment to healthy and active living. Our employees and
advisors take great pride in volunteering close to 12,000 hours
each year and contribute to making life brighter for individuals
and families across Canada.
Learn more about Sun Life in the community.
About Fitspirit
FitSpirit partners with schools to
organize activities designed for girls to help them thrive and set
them on the path to an active and healthy lifestyle. Backed by a
community of inspiring and dedicated girls and women, FitSpirit
transforms every activity into a memorable experience complete with
friends, role models and fun. This winning combination has enabled
FitSpirit to positively impact the lives of more than 200,000 girls
aged 12 to 17 since it was founded in 2007. For more information,
visit fitspirit.ca.
About the 21.02 High Performance Hockey Center Les Canadiennes
On 21.02.02, Canada won the Olympic gold medal in women's
hockey for the first time. For millions of girls and women, this
was the start of a bigger dream. Founded in 2019 by Danièle
Sauvageau, the Centre 21.02 brings together the past and the future
and is the only high performance hockey centre recognized by the
competent bodies, namely Hockey Quebec, member of Hockey Canada.
Based at the Verdun Auditorium in Montreal, the High Performance Hockey Centre
is a key partner in the long-term athlete development path for
elite players aspiring to play for their national team, and,
possibly, the professional ranks.
Sun Life
Mylène Bélanger
438-341-3884
mylene.belanger@sunlife.com
Fitspirit
Elise
Hofer
514-220-0758
elise.hofer@fillactive.ca
21.02 High Performance Hockey Center Les Canadiennes
Nicolas Lesage
514-705-7090
nicolas@nlps.me
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1 Diabète Québec estimates there are
880,000 people living with diabetes in Quebec. Of those, about
250,000 don't know it. Source:
https://www.diabete.qc.ca/fr/diabete-quebec/a-propos/salle-de-presse/le-diabete-en-chiffres/#:~:text=Diab%C3%A8te%20Qu%C3%A9bec%20estime%20%C3%A0%20880,le%20diab%C3%A8te%20continuera%20%C3%A0%20augmenter.
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SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.