Mathilde Danès (1994-2024)

It is with great sadness that we share with you the passing of our fellow community member and beloved friend Mathilde Danès, at age 29.

A dedicated EA, animal advocate, and children's rights supporter, Mathilde had discovered the effective altruism community in 2016-2017, and the farm animal advocacy movement not long after. In 2018, she co-founded a local EA chapter in Lille, where she then lived. Other notable accomplishments of hers, among the many altruistic actions she took, include catering for several animal advocacy and EA events in France between 2020 and 2023, as well as co-organizing the 2022 edition of the Estivales de la question animale, an annual French-speaking effective animal advocacy summit. 

With steadfast sentientist and antinatalist beliefs, she was particularly dedicated to the idea of reducing suffering whenever possible. Over the course of her advocacy years, she strived to live her life in accordance with those values, unfortunately sometimes at great personal cost, going against some of her deepest desires. 

On January 18, Mathilde took her own life. She had been struggling for some months with severe mental health problems, and the deep suffering they entailed. 

The people who knew and loved her will remember a bubbly, wonderfully funny and generous person. Her loss is immense for us all.

In such a tragic context, we'd like to stress the vital importance of, first and foremost, caring for one’s mental health, and seeking the help of professionals. We’d also like to remind the community that many mental health resources are available on the Mental Health Navigator’s website, and highlight their Crisis Support page.

Please, take care.