After Hyundai Hope on Wheels announced its donation of $500,000 for pediatric cancer research and patient support at City of Hope® on August 15, patients from City of Hope Children’s Cancer Center showed their thankfulness with colorful handprints on a Hyundai car.
Since its start in 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has contributed more than $1 million to City of Hope, one of the nation’s largest cancer research and treatment organizations.
Rajesh Gupta, regional sales manager for the western region at Hyundai Motor America, said, “Over 44 children every day receive the devastating news that they have this disease. This forces them to deal with a very grown-up issue, introducing new challenges like chemo, radiation and surgeries—during a time when they should be experiencing the simple joys of childhood. That is why Hyundai Hope on Wheels is so dedicated to this life-saving cause.”
The nonprofit announced a $400,000 2024 Hope Scholar Grant to Leo Wang, M.D., Ph.D., for his project, CAR T cell acceleration of endogenous antitumor immune responses in pediatric brain tumors.
Dr. Wang said, “Our philanthropy partners are really critical in getting the really transformative research that we do here off the ground and really are instrumental in helping us save lives and invent better therapies.”
City of Hope will also receive a $100,000 Impact Grant for the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Program, which supports AYA cancer patients from their cancer diagnosis through survivorship. This program is led by Saro Armenian, D.O., M.P.H., who focuses on health outcomes of childhood and adult-onset cancer patients. Dr. Armenian is the Barron Hilton Chair in Pediatrics at City of Hope and spoke at the August 15 ceremony.
Hyundai Hope on Wheels began contributing to Dr. Wang’s work in 2017 with a $150,000 grant to research the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for pediatric brain tumors. T cells are a type of white blood cell that help the immune system protect the body.
Hyundai Hope on Wheels is supported by Hyundai Motor America and its 830 U.S. dealers and funds pediatric cancer research, treatment and survivorship programs. To date, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has contributed to almost 1,300 cancer research studies at more than 175 medical institutions.
The handprint ceremony is the nonprofit’s signature event. Children affected by cancer, doctors, researchers and Hyundai partners dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on a Hyundai vehicle to symbolize the collective fight against pediatric cancer. Gupta said, said, “A handprint is unique. They represent our individual journeys, dreams and goals. They also serve as a visible reminder of the children for whom we are fighting. These handprints we capture are added to our Hope vehicle, which travels the nation visiting other children’s hospitals.”
Sixteen-year-old Keira Chang spoke at the handprint ceremony in Duarte, California, about spending her 13th birthday in City of Hope’s pediatric care.
“Throughout my entire journey, there was not one person I met at City of Hope who wasn’t amazingly kind and understanding. Every little thing that people did for me meant so much more than you would think and had such a massive impact on my recovery,” Keira told the audience.
