Marie-Hélène Mathieu, Grand Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour

In 1963, Marie-Hélène Mathieu, in collaboration with several families affected by disability, created the Christian Office for People with Disabilities (OCH) to provide a space for listening and support in response to the suffering and isolation of families with disabled children. In 1968, the magazine Ombres et Lumière (Shadows and Light) was launched.

Marie-Hélène Mathieu was the founder of the movement Foi et Lumière (Faith and Light), established in 1971 following a first major international pilgrimage to Lourdes that brought together 12,000 participants from 15 countries, including 4,000 people with intellectual disabilities.