TD Bank Donates $150,000 to Tampa General Hospital’s Cancer Institute to Bring Critical Treatment and Care to Rural Communities

The gift will help bridge the gap in access to quality cancer care for residents.

Tampa, FL (April 17, 2024) – Tampa General Hospital (TGH) today announced it has received a $150,000 donation from TD Bank to support the TGH Cancer Institute’s rural community outreach program to provide cancer care and outreach to residents of rural communities across the Tampa Bay region.

The two-year grant will help to bring screening, prevention and treatment services to these underserved regions with historically limited access to early cancer education, detection, care and treatment. Location of clinics, shortage of specialists and lack of transportation are all barriers to treatment and care across many of these communities, whose residents are at increased risk for disease and often face higher death rates from lung, colorectal, prostate and cervical cancers.

“As a founding member of our Corporate Philanthropy Partners program, TD Bank has supported Tampa General Hospital through event sponsorships and grants for many years,” said Frann Leppla, senior vice president and chief philanthropy officer, Tampa General Hospital. “We are beyond grateful for this new, generous donation, which will help deliver innovative solutions and lifesaving cancer treatment and care to rural populations in Florida.”

Last year, TD Bank collaborated with Tampa General on a number of initiatives, including endowing maternal fetal support and blood pressure monitors for new mothers to serving on key foundation committees to donating and planting trees and shrubs at the TampaWell Community Garden and Food Pharmacy at TGH Healthpark as part of TD Trees Day.

”TD is committed to lifting up the communities we serve and standing behind the organizations that are creating a brighter, healthier future for all. We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Tampa General Hospital; this is a perfect example of how TD’s Community Impact Plan is intended to work to support true innovation in an impactful way,” said Shelley Sylva, TD’s Head of U.S. Corporate Citizenship. “TGH’s rural community outreach program exemplifies our shared dedication to creating equitable access to health care and ensuring that our neighbors in rural communities can access life-saving cancer screening. We’re truly honored to be part of this program and know it will make a real difference in the fight against cancer in Florida and beyond.”

“The TGH Cancer Institute is committed to improving care navigation, early detection and critical treatments to patients in rural communities,” said Dr. Eduardo Sotomayor, vice president and executive director, TGH Cancer Institute. “With the support of our partners and donors like TD Bank, we are bringing all aspects of world-class cancer care closer to the patients who need it most.”

Tampa General Hospital’s Cancer Institute is nationally recognized for world-class care that is revolutionizing cancer treatment and is one of Florida's few cancer centers backed by academic medicine. The Institute provides comprehensive care via groundbreaking therapies, advanced diagnostic imaging tools and a highly coordinated, interdisciplinary approach to quality patient care. Currently, Tampa General ranks in the Top 10% of Hospitals in the Nation for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report for 2023-24 and is named one of America's Best Cancer Hospitals by Newsweek. For more information about the TGH Cancer Institute, visit www.tgh.org/cancer.