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HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS TO
SURPASS $57 MILLION IN TOTAL DONATIONS TO SUPPORT CHILDHOOD
CANCER RESEARCH BY YEAR-END 2012
Handprint Ceremony at the New York
International Auto Show Marks Launch of Hyundai’s 14th
Year in the Fight Against Pediatric Cancer and Introduces
New National Youth Ambassador C.J. George
NEW YORK – April 5,
2012 –
Hyundai Motor America and its dealers announced today,
at the New York International Auto Show, a commitment to
break through a major milestone of $57 million in total
donations to pediatric cancer research through their
nonprofit foundation,
Hyundai Hope On Wheels®. This level of funding places
Hyundai among the leading funders of pediatric cancer
research in the nation. As part of its 14th year
in the fight against pediatric cancer, Hyundai’s President
and CEO John Krafcik announced the 2012 effort and named C.J.
George, a
13-year-old South Florida native and cancer survivor, the
2012-2013 Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassador
Hope On Wheels primarily provides funds to
nonprofit children’s hospitals across the U.S. for pediatric
cancer research and seeks to build public awareness about
the importance of this cause. The program is funded by
Hyundai and its U.S. dealers. With every new vehicle sold in
the U.S., Hyundai customers join Hyundai and its dealers in
funding important life-saving research. Planned activities
for 2012 will include a national grant donation tour, a
nationwide 5K race series, an online social media campaign
and a partnership with the Childhood Cancer Congressional
Caucus. For the third consecutive year, during National
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, Hope On
Wheels will conduct a comprehensive campaign to raise
greater awareness about pediatric cancer and the need to
fund critical research to find a cure.
"We see Hope On Wheels as a critical part of
our mission at Hyundai,” said John Krafcik, President and
CEO of Hyundai Motor America. "Pediatric cancer takes far
too many young lives and impacts far too many families. We
are proud to work with our Hyundai dealers to fund research
to end this disease. We congratulate each institution
receiving our grants and commend them for the important work
they are doing.”
In 2012, Hope On Wheels will donate $12
million to children’s hospitals nationwide for pediatric
cancer research through its signature Hyundai Scholar Grant
and Hyundai Hope Grant awards. Hyundai Scholar Grants, in
the amount of $75,000 each, will be awarded to 41 principal
investigators who are pursuing innovative research early in
their careers. As part of its Hyundai Hope Grant program,
Hope On Wheels will award 36 grants to children’s hospitals
across the country. This year’s Hyundai Hope Grants will be
increased from $100,000 to $250,000 each, and winners will
be announced in September.
Each of the Hope On Wheels grants will be
presented to winning institutions at a Handprint Ceremony,
where children diagnosed with cancer will place their
handprints in colorful paint on a new Hyundai Tucson, the
official vehicle of the program, to commemorate their
battles with cancer. Every Handprint Ceremony celebrates
the courageous lives of the children faced with cancer and
brings our community of supporters together.
The first grant award for 2012 was presented
to the New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s
Hospital, which is a previous grant winner. The hospital
received this year’s award as part of the kick-off
activities and Handprint Ceremony that took place at the New
York International Auto Show. The grant recipient Dr. Julia
Bender has been named a Hyundai Scholar.
“Through research, we have made great strides
in understanding pediatric cancer and developing new
treatments,” said Dr. Julia Bender, New
York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.
“However, there is so much we don’t know about what makes
tumors grow. By learning about what drives cancer, we are
researching ways to deliver care with less toxicity. I am
proud to be a Hyundai Scholar and truly appreciate the
resources Hyundai provides doctors like me to pursue my work
to improve the lives of children.”
As part of this year’s program, Hope On
Wheels’ newly-named National Youth Ambassador, C.J. George,
will travel the country to share his message of hope with
children, families and communities at Hope On Wheels events.
C.J. was diagnosed with Stage III Acute Lymphoblastic
Lymphoma when he was 9 years old, and after his courageous
battle and treatment at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in
Hollywood, FL, C.J. is now 13 years old and cancer-free.
“Every 36 minutes a child is diagnosed with
cancer in the U.S. Through research, 80 percent of those
cancers can be cured. But that’s just not good enough,” said
Gary Micallef, Hyundai dealer-owner of Hyundai of Everett in
Everett, WA and newly-elected Chairman of the Hyundai Hope
On Wheels Board of Directors. “The Hyundai dealers across
America proudly join in this fight. This is one we must win
for our children, our communities, and our future. We are
proud to be a part of such an important cause.”
Also this year, research work will continue
from Hyundai’s major investment in the Hyundai Cancer
Institute at CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange County. The
hospital received its largest corporate gift in its history
from Hyundai for the purpose of understanding DNA in young
cancer patients through genomic medicine research.
For more information about Hyundai Hope On
Wheels, please visit
www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.
HYUNDAI MOTOR
AMERICA
Hyundai Motor
America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a
subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles
are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai
Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than
800 dealerships nationwide.
HYUNDAI HOPE ON
WHEELS
Hyundai Hope On
Wheels® is the united effort of Hyundai Motor America and
its more than 800 dealers across the U.S. to raise awareness
about childhood cancer and to celebrate the lives of
children battling the disease. For 2012, Hyundai Hope On
Wheels plans to surpass $57 million in total donations to
childhood cancer research since the program began in 1998.
Hyundai Hope On Wheels is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization.
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