Love and Comfort, One Doll at a Time
Mélissa Gélinas
Many tears of joy were shed by several residents with cognitive impairments at the Château Symmes seniors' residence in Aylmer when they received unexpected gifts on November 18: dolls, distributed by the charity Les Poupées de Germaine (Germaine's Dolls).
For the project's founders, these are much more than just dolls; they represent a form of therapy that brings comfort and solace to the seniors.
The Story
More specifically, this is a 100% volunteer initiative launched last winter by two women from Gatineau, Danielle Villeneuve and Diane Du Perré. Anne Pagé recently joined the team to help with distribution. The idea arose when Villeneuve had to care for her stepfather, who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Visiting the Gatineau hospital several times, she noticed that many patients had dolls and stuffed animals. Inspired, she decided to give a doll to Germaine, Diane's mother, who also suffered from the same illness as her stepfather. That's when the magic happened. "When she held it in her hands, she exclaimed, 'Mariloup, Mariloup!' She had just named it as if she were becoming a mother again," said Villeneuve.
Seeing the wave of positive emotions the dolls evoked, they both decided to create the project. To do so, they started shopping at thrift stores and garage sales, using their own funds.
In May 2025, they made their very first distribution to the Résidences de La Gappe, located in Gatineau. “From that moment on, everyone started talking about it, and it quickly became very popular,” Villeneuve said. Due to the high demand, they suggested that more remote residences become sponsors. “We will send them all the necessary information and documentation so they can do the same as us.”
Since then, nearly 200 dolls have been distributed to several seniors' residences in the region. They receive many from various organizations and individuals. “We also approached several knitting clubs to ask them to make accessories for the dolls, and they were immediately very enthusiastic about the idea,” she said.
For those who would like to donate dolls and/or accessories, visit https://www.facebook.com/lespoupeesdegermaine or call 819-328-3815. Please note that no monetary donations will be accepted.
