Hyundai Hope on Wheels Commemorates National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
and Announces More Than $6 Million in New Grants to Fight Childhood Cancer
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA – September 2, 2010 – Hyundai Hope on Wheels, a
partnership of Hyundai dealers across the U.S. and Hyundai Motor America, today
marked the beginning of National Childhood Cancer Awareness month with a press
conference to launch a new nationwide initiative to support the fight against
childhood cancer and announce the donation of $6.8 million in “Hope Grants.”
Hyundai executives, leading pediatric oncologists, families with children
impacted by cancer, Hyundai dealers and elected officials gathered at the
National Press Club in Washington D.C. to unveil the list of 68 hospitals and
non-profit organizations that will each receive a $100,000 Hope Grant. The
grants will be used to fund direct research projects and support meaningful
initiatives undertaken by doctors, nurses, social workers, child life
specialists and other professionals who work with children with cancer.
“While we’ve made progress over the last few decades and now have an 85
percent cure rate, cancer still takes more lives than any other childhood
disease,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “This
September, in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Hyundai will shine a
nationwide spotlight on this cause and provide more than $6 million in grants
for pediatric cancer research and support programs. We love taking on big
challenges at Hyundai, and we can think of no more worthy challenge than finding
a cure for all forms of pediatric cancer.”
“For the last 12 years Hope
on Wheels has supported the fight against childhood cancer in partnership with
Hyundai dealers, Hyundai Motor America and others,” said Oscar Leeser, Hyundai
dealer Principal, Hyundai of El Paso. “The more people learn about the toll this
disease takes on children and families, the more they want to help fight it,
which is why we’ve dedicated this September to raising awareness about childhood
cancer. On behalf of the more than 800 Hyundai dealers across the U.S., we’re
proud to continue to fund new research projects and support organizations that
help kids fight cancer.”
Throughout the month of September, Hope on
Wheels will visit each Hope Grant recipient to present the donations and hear
from the children, families, doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, child
life specialists, counselors and other professionals that are fighting childhood
cancer. By the end of this year, Hope on Wheels will have awarded more than $23
million dollars to children’s hospitals and non-profit organizations across the
U.S. to support the fight against childhood cancer.
The complete list of
Hope Grant recipients and more information on Hyundai Hope on Wheels is
available at www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org. Find Hope on Wheels on Facebook and
follow us on Twitter at @hopeonwheels.
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