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RBC donates $150,000 to Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital
May 26, 2005—Halifax, NS —
RBC Financial Group is investing $150,000 in Royal Care, a
campaign for Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
The funds will be used to support specialist training fellowships
at a time when competition for specialists across North America
is strong.
Ron Waldman, Chair of the RUH Foundation Board of Directors,
congratulated RBC Financial Group for recognizing the need
to address the issue of physician recruitment and retention
both creatively and effectively.
"Fellowship support gives us the capacity to grow our
own specialists, and keep them here in the province"
said Mr. Waldman. "Hospitals have learned that it is
easier to develop a young specialist and encourage them to
stay than to compete on the open market."
Physicians who choose to specialize in a specific area of
medicine must complete two or more years of specialist training,
usually called a fellowship. The training follows the completion
of a medical degree.
The $150,000 gift from RBC Financial Group will create three,
two-year fellowship awards of $50,000 each. The specialty
areas will be determined by the Saskatoon Health Region based
on highest needs identified in a Medical Human Resources Plan
developed by Medical Affairs.
"RBC believes that working partnerships are the best
possible way to build healthier communities and create lasting
change at a community level," said Peter Carton, Regional
Vice-President for RBC in Saskatchewan. "This donation
to the Royal University Hospital Foundation is a reflection
of RBC's commitment to health and wellness. We consider our
support of health care training, research and programs, not
only as an investment in communities, but also in Canada's
future."
In 2004, RBC Financial Group invested over $8 million in health
care causes. RBC was named Canada's Most Respected Corporation
in the category of "Corporate Social Responsibility"
for 10 consecutive years in the annual KPMG/Ipsos Reid poll.
In addition to having one of the leading community care programs
in Canada, RBC is a founding member of Imagine Canada, committed
to donating at least one per cent of its annual net income
before taxes to charitable causes. In 2004, RBC invested more
than $59 million in communities worldwide, including more
than $30 million in Canada.
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