VICTORIA, BC, June 20, 2013 /CNW/ - TD Bank Group today announced a $125,000 pledge to Victoria Hospitals Foundation's Building Care Together campaign to help deliver training initiatives to the Patient Care Centre at Royal Jubilee Hospital.

Through the TD Grants in Medical Excellence, TD has pledged $25,000 a year for the next five years to support essential training for more than 1,200 nurses. The donation will also fund employee development in critical care, infection prevention and control, medication reconciliation and support seamless and successful Aboriginal patient care transitions.

"The Patient Care Centre is a leading-edge hospital that attracts exceptional medical professionals," said Leslee Farrell, Co-chair of the Building Care Together campaign. "TD Grants in Medical Excellence will benefit many of these care providers and educators. Even more importantly, it will directly benefit patients in our hospitals through improved care. For more than a decade, TD has shown their commitment to quality healthcare at Royal Jubilee Hospital, and we remain thankful for their continued support."

"We are pleased to give back to the community in such a significant and meaningful way," said Jane Russell, Senior Vice President, TD. "TD is committed to investing in the future by helping to ensure that nurses and other practicing caregivers have access to funds to upgrade their skills or further their education."

The Patient Care Centre fosters a work environment where technology and knowledge empower staff and physicians to improve the quality of patient care. With this pledge from TD Bank Group and other generous donors, the Building Care Together campaign has now received pledges totaling $12.94 million. This is more than halfway to the goal of raising $25 million for staff training and medical equipment for the state-of-the-art Patient Care Centre.

TD Community Giving
TD Bank Group invests in communities in order to effect positive change in the places where it operates and where its clients and employees live and work. In 2012, TD donated over $65 million to support community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, TD focuses on education and financial literacy, creating opportunities for young people and the environment. For further information, please visit www.td.com/corporate-responsibility.

About the Victoria Hospitals Foundation and the Building Care Together Campaign
Victoria Hospitals Foundation works in partnership with the Vancouver Island Health Authority to enable donations to Vancouver Island's two largest and most comprehensive hospitals: the Royal Jubilee and the Victoria General. Since 1989, the Victoria Hospitals Foundation has raised nearly $90 million to benefit our hospitals. Building Care Together is the third and most ambitious campaign in the Foundation's history. Co-chaired by the Honourable Ted Hughes and Ms. Leslee Farrell, the campaign is raising funds to support the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment for the new Patient Care Centre at Royal Jubilee Hospital. For more information, please call the Foundation at 250-519-1750 or visit www.buildingcare.ca.

SOURCE: TD Bank Group