TD Donates $2,000,000 to MUHC/CHUM Joint Corporate Campaign

MONTREAL, Jan. 23, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Foundation, the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation and the Fondation du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) announced today that TD is donating $2 million to the Joint Corporate Campaign. The funds will be used to support the redevelopment projects of the two academic healthcare institutions.

"We're proud to support the important work of healthcare professionals and contribute to the redevelopment of these two major healthcare institutions in Quebec," said Christine Marchildon, senior vice president, TD Canada Trust, Quebec Region.  "With medicine and health care constantly changing, the post-doctoral fellowships in research and the simulation training program will help doctors, specialists, nurses and staff in their quest for greater learning to provide the best care possible to patients."

TD's contribution to The Best Care for Life Campaign of the MUHC is being dedicated to the construction of the new Montreal Children's Hospital, as well as the establishment of the TD Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Child Health Research Excellence. At the CHUM, a part of this generous gift will be devoted to the training of specialists through the Programme de formation des équipes interdisciplinaires en simulation (program for simulation training of interdisciplinary teams).

A boost to pediatric care and research at the MUHC

"This announcement demonstrates TD's commitment to the future of pediatric health care in Quebec and its faith in the excellent work performed at the Research Institute of the MUHC at the Montreal Children's Hospital," said Greg Rokos, chairman of the board of the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation. "With the construction of the new facilities, our doctors and researchers will be in an ideal environment for the advancement of research programs, where patients are followed prior to birth and throughout their lives."

"We salute TD for having the vision to bolster pediatric care and research.  The new Centre for Translational Biology and Centre for Innovative Medicine at the Glen will have cutting-edge research facilities designed to accelerate treatments and cures for some of the most devastating illnesses," stated Normand Rinfret, interim director general and CEO of the MUHC.  "We are truly grateful for TD's leadership because this major endorsement will support a better future for families across Quebec and abroad."

"Our researchers are among the best in the world and the establishment of the TD Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Child Health Research Excellence will support their exceptional efforts to advance the programs that make up the 11 research axes at the Institute," explained Dr. Jacquetta Trasler, associate director for pediatric research at the Research Institute of the MUHC. "Through research, they are creating a world of hope for children by reaching across disciplines and beyond geographic boundaries to solve clinical problems."

"TD's generous investment in research is a testament to its long-term vision and its commitment to Montreal and Quebec. We couldn't be more pleased," remarked John A. Rae, chairman of The Best Care for Life Campaign of the MUHC.  "The ripple effect of this donation will benefit children today and many generations to come."

CHUM: Teaching and simulation for better health care

"Through its generous support of our Programme de formation des équipes interdisciplinaires en simulation, TD  will enable our health professionals to train with the best," said Christian Paire, director general and CEO of the CHUM. "This one-of-a-kind expertise which they will bring back to Montreal as well as across Quebec will benefit both our patients and our teams through improvements to the quality and the safety of care."

"The scholarships will enable the CHUM to shape new leaders in simulation training through advanced training at prominent institutions outside the country," pointed out Dr. Marie-Josée Dupuis, directrice de l'enseignement at the CHUM. Beginning in 2013, the CHUM's Centre intégré d'enseignement et de formation (integrated teaching and training centre) will open and will offer its simulation specialists a sophisticated high-tech environment in what will be the largest centre for simulation training within a hospital setting. "This gift from TD will help to ensure the continued development of our program and we are truly grateful," added Dr. Dupuis.

"We wish to express our gratitude to TD for this major contribution, which will enable the Fondation du CHUM to pursue its mission to support the CHUM," noted both Gilles Dulude, chairman of the Fondation du CHUM's board of directors and Ékram Antoine Rabbat, Fondation du CHUM's president and CEO. "Because of this gift, our hospital can enhance its expertise in education and the quality of health care available to patients," commented Mr. Rabbat. "This gesture demonstrates TD's confidence in our cause and will make a real difference in the daily work of our healthcare professionals and in the lives of our patients," mentioned Mr. Dulude.

The Joint Corporate Campaign is a historic partnership of the MUHC and the CHUM, each of whom must raise $300 million for their respective redevelopment projects.

TD Community Giving
TD invests in communities to make a positive impact where it does business and where our customers, clients and employees live and work. In 2011, TD donated over $66 million to support community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, we focus on Education and Financial Literacy, Creating Opportunities for Young People, and the Environment. For more information, visit td.com/corporateresponsibility

About the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and The Best Care for Life Campaign
One of the world's foremost academic health centres, the MUHC offers exceptional and integrated patient-centric care, research, teaching and technology assessment. Affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University, it is highly committed to the continuum of care in its community. The partner hospitals of the MUHC—the Lachine Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute, the Montreal General Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital and The Montreal Children's Hospital— value multidisciplinary service throughout the lifespan, innovative technologies and practices, strategic partnerships and leadership in knowledge transfer. The MUHC is currently carrying out a $2.355-billion Redevelopment Project on three campuses—the Mountain, Glen and Lachine—designed to provide healthcare professionals with an effective environment in which to ensure patients and their families get the best care for life. The campuses are also anchored in best sustainable-development practices, including LEED® and BOMA BESt guidelines. muhc.ca / muhc.ca/construction

The Best Care for Life Campaign is an unprecedented philanthropic effort aimed at raising the funds needed to complete the McGill University Health Centre's Redevelopment Project as well as the Capital Development Plan. muhcfoundation.com

About the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and its Foundation                               
The Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) is the largest francophone teaching hospital in North America. Known for excellent care and the expertise of its specialists, every year it welcomes more than half a million patients not only from the greater Montreal region but also the entire province of Quebec. The essence of its mission is the application of innovative approaches to healthcare, the search for new knowledge, the promotion of health and the transfer of knowledge. Boasting a rich history, the CHUM is looking to the future with the ongoing construction of new facilities and its research centre in downtown Montreal, a comprehensive project on a single site valued at approximately $2.5 billion. The CHUM Research Centre will open its doors in 2013. It will be followed in 2016 by the unveiling of the new CHUM, a world-class teaching hospital in tune with its community where it plays a major role, in a socially aware perspective of sustainable development and concerted urban approach. It is also an active member of the Réseau universitaire intégré de santé (RUIS) de l'Université de Montréal. chumontreal.com

The Fondation du CHUM's mission is to provide the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal with an ongoing source of private funding to complement its public funding in order to contribute to the continuous improvement of patient care, allow for the acquisition of advanced equipment and support the CHUM's research, education and health promotion activities. fondationduchum.com

Image with caption: "Gilles Dulude, Dr. Marie-Josée Dupuis, Ékram Antoine Rabbat and Christian Paire (CHUM), Christine Marchildon (TD), Normand Rinfret and John A. Rae (MUHC), Marie-Josée Gariepy and Greg Rokos (Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation). (CNW Group/FONDATION DU CHUM)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120123_C6035_PHOTO_EN_9085.jpg