LONDON, ON, Jan. 20, 2017 /CNW/ - Scotiabank has donated $1 million to Children's Health Foundation and London Health Sciences Foundation, fundraising partners of London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), to fund The Scotiabank Family Assistance Program, which supports women, children and their families experiencing financial hardship during treatment.

The Scotiabank Family Assistance Program is a vital patient and family-centred resource for both Children's Hospital (including children's inpatient care, neonatal care, paediatric critical care and paediatric ambulatory care) and in Women's Care (including gynecology/oncology surgery, inpatient gynecology surgery and obstetrical care) at LHSC. These funds are accessed through LHSC and used for emergency, short-term situations to support patients and their families from across Southwestern Ontario and beyond who require the specialized care available in London.

"Scotiabank aims to support organizations that are committed to helping young people reach their full potential," said Andrew Smith, District Vice President, London and Area District at Scotiabank. "We know that the Scotiabank Family Assistance Program will make an important difference in the lives of young people and their families. We hope the program will help ease the strain that health challenges can have on families so they can focus on taking care of their loved ones."

When coping with a family member's illness that is compounded by excessive travel or other unexpected expenditures, families can become overwhelmed emotionally and physically exhausted. By offering financial support to families in need through parking passes, gas cards, travel vouchers and gift cards to grocery stores and retailers, The Scotiabank Family Assistance Program helps lighten the load that families must bear.

"Scotiabank's commitment to ensuring patients and their families can access the specialized care they need without a financial burden is remarkable. We are so grateful to receive this wonderful gift that will make a tremendous impact on families. It is because of Scotiabank that our parents can focus on helping their sick child get better and relieve the burden and stress of treatment-related expenses," says Sherri Bocchini, Chief Development Officer, Children's Health Foundation.

"Alleviating some of the short-term, financial stress related to medical treatment is often essential in allowing families and patients to focus on healing," says London Health Sciences Foundation President and CEO John MacFarlane. "This important program only exists because of the generosity of community leaders like Scotiabank."

With Scotiabank's generous funding, The Scotiabank Family Assistance Program has brought financial relief to hundreds of families from across the region, from Windsor, to Owen Sound, to as far north as Timmins.

About Children's Health Foundation:

Children's Health Foundation is dedicated to raising and granting funds to support Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, Thames Valley Children's Centre and Children's Health Research Institute. Since 1922, funds raised have helped deliver exceptional care and support for children and their families by providing specialized paediatric care, equipment, education programs, therapy, rehabilitation services and research. Learn more at childhealth.ca.

About London Health Sciences Centre:

London Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF) is a Canada Revenue Agency registered charity accredited by both Imagine Canada and the Better Business Bureau, linking our community and health care experts - including physicians, allied professionals, researchers, staff and educators - together in pursuit of medical excellence at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson). Established to strengthen LHSC's ability to provide the highest quality health care for patients in Southwestern Ontario and beyond, LHSF offers opportunities to support enhanced patient care, education, healthcare innovation and research. www.lhsf.ca.

About Scotiabank

At Scotiabank, we aim to support organizations that are committed to helping young people reach their full potential. Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank's goal is to help ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success. Together with our employees, the Bank supports causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2016, Scotiabank contributed more than $70 million to help our communities around the world.

Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 23 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 88,000 employees and assets of $896 billion (as at October 31, 2016), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

SOURCE Scotiabank