Story Posted: 2025-05-05
Investing in the Future: TD Bank Group
From the Spring 2025 Spirit Newsletter.
St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation is very grateful to TD Bank Group for its generous $225,000 donation to the Foundation’s By Your Side Kidney Care Campaign. This commitment, celebrated at a gift announcement event on March 21, is a part of TD’s Ready Commitment program, which empowers communities and promotes inclusive, sustainable futures.
The By Your Side Kidney Care Campaign is a comprehensive campaign that aims to address the rising rates of Chronic Kidney Disease in Saskatchewan, where it now affects a staggering 1 in 10 people. For Indigenous people, the incidence rises to 1 in 3 individuals. The campaign’s key priorities include implementing Early Screening Programs to detect the disease in its early stages, establishing a dedicated Kidney Health and Education Centre at St. Paul’s to provide specialized care and resources, and enhancing the Hospital’s Holistic Care Services to ensure patients receive the best possible treatment and support. By addressing these key priorities, the campaign aims to provide services and resources to empower those who need it most.
“This campaign speaks to the heart of what we value as an organization,” says Ryan Barclay, District Vice President for Saskatchewan at TD Bank Group. “The By Your Side Kidney Care Campaign touches on connected communities and better health, and St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation has given us the perfect opportunity to partner,” he said. “It’s an ideal fit for our purpose, and we’re proud to play a role in supporting the Foundation’s work to provide equitable, accessible care for all.”
Ready Commitment, TD Bank Group’s corporate citizenship platform, was launched in 2008 with the ambitious goal of investing $1 billion in community giving by 2030. TD’s Ready Commitment is centred on the Four Interconnected Drivers of Change: Financial Security, a Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities, and Better Health. The Better Health initiative is an excellent fit for the By Your Side Campaign, as it emphasizes improving access to health education, screening, early interventions, and innovative programming to enhance existing health care practices. “We know this campaign will make a huge difference,” Barclay adds. “Not only will it break down barriers to kidney care, but it will also create opportunities for people to reach their full potential. If you can’t feel confident about your health, how can you feel confident about your future?”
TD’s donation is in line with their broader focus on supporting community-based programs that enhance overall health and well-being. As Barclay emphasizes, “We’re committed to continuing to invest in research, technology, and solutions that make health care more accessible for all Canadians, and connecting and investing in our communities.” Barclay also speaks to the genuine desire of team members to make a difference: “My colleagues working here in Saskatchewan give so much of themselves to the community. In all the causes that we’re involved with, our colleagues genuinely care. They genuinely want to be part of something better, moving things forward in the community.”
The By Your Side Kidney Care Campaign aims to make a significant difference in the lives of patients and families affected by kidney disease. With the ongoing support of organizations like TD Bank Group, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation is working toward making accessible and culturally relevant health care a reality.