Shepherd’s Hope has been awarded a $75,000 grant by TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank to support expansion of their successful Liver (Hepatitis) Clinic model.

With the generous donation from TD Bank, the program will be expanded to four additional locations across Central Florida with added patient support, telehealth, and technology solutions, supplies and growth of partnerships with local county health departments and resources.

The primary mission of the program, started in March 2017 by volunteer Gastroenterologist Dr. Philip Styne and health care administrator Michele Schott (MBA/MSHA), is to address Hepatitis C, largely know as a “silent epidemic’, that if untreated can be a serious disease resulting in long-term health problems, including liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, liver cancer, and even death. The Shepherd’s Hope clinic addresses the multi-generational epidemic in Central Florida, through early detection, early intervention, and the reduction of chronic liver disease. Typical treatment costs can reach up to $25,000 which is not feasible for the uninsured and underinsured patients served, making the clinic vital in the community.

Viral hepatitis is a public health crisis in the state of Florida, the United States, and in many countries around the world. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hepatitis C killed more Americans than all other reportable diseases combined, including HIV and tuberculosis. Florida has the second highest number of confirmed Hepatitis C cases in the nation after California.

In 2018, an estimated 321,000 Floridians were infected with Hepatitis C and an additional 22,500 new cases of Chronic Hepatitis C are reported each year. Orange County has the highest number of confirmed cases in the state. The Opioid Crisis has brought a resurgence of the disease; originally thought to primarily affect the Baby Boomer population, it has become more prevalent in younger generations with 80% of IV drug users now infected.

With the generous donation from TD Bank, the program will be expanded to four additional Shepherd’s Hope health center locations with added patient support, telehealth, and technology solutions, supplies and growth of partnerships with local county health departments and resources.

In partnership with local health care systems, in-kind donations and funding the Liver Clinic has cared for over 200 patients, often curing their Hepatitis C, and achieving the goal of avoiding chronic disease.

“This funding will allow us to expand geographically extending testing and care to address this major medical concern” said Philip Styne, MD, Gastroenterologist, AdventHealth. “Our clinic, the only one in the area, brings necessary services to those that would otherwise go without ultimately leading to lifelong medical concerns for the patients.”

TD Charitable Foundation supports partnership opportunities that make a positive impact on the community they serve. Their collaborations include focusing on better health and innovative solutions to disease.

“Partnering with Shepherd’s Hope makes sense for us” states Peter Meyer, Central Florida Commercial Market President, TD Bank. “Funding projects like the Liver Clinic positively impact the Central Florida population and offer a solution to what could be a costly long-lasting disease for patients.”

The TD Charitable Foundation (TDCF) carries a legacy of supporting non-profit institutions and their important work throughout TD's geographic footprint. Since the TD Charitable Foundation's inception in 2002, it has contributed over $254 million in grant funding to non-profit organizations and its mission is to support, respect and improve the quality of life in the diverse communities where they live and do business. TD's philanthropy is centered around its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, which actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality, environmental well being and health and enabling people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As part of the TD Ready Commitment, TD targets community giving in four critical areas: Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Special consideration for funding is also given to programs which support low-to-moderate-income individuals by providing services which improve the quality of life.