Award ceremony recognizes children, families and medical
professionals for their courage and shared mission to ending
pediatric cancer; increases financial commitment for 2016
NEW YORK – March 24, 2016 – Hyundai Hope On Wheels® (HHOW), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer, today marks 18 years of commitment and a total of $115 million donated in its pledge to end childhood cancer. On the sidelines of the New York International Auto Show, the organization will recognize child cancer survivors, families, doctors, nurses and supporters at its award ceremony themed, “A Day Without Pediatric Cancer.” Aubrey Peeples, film and TV actress known for her roles in Nashville and Jem and the Holograms, has been named this year’s HHOW Celebrity Ambassador and will co-host the event. This year alone, the organization will award $13 million in new pediatric cancer research grants.
The ceremony also recognizes four recipients of the Hyundai Quantum Awards. Each recipient is being awarded a $1 million grant for their ground-breaking work on pediatric cancer research. The Hyundai Quantum Grant Winners include: Richard Aplenc, MD, PhD, MSCE, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA); Loren D. Walensky, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA); Soheil Meshinchi, MD, PhD and Marie Bleakley, MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, WA) and Duane A. Mitchell, MD, PhD, University of Florida (Gainesville, FL).
HHOW will announce two national youth ambassadors, Hannah Adams and Ryan Darby, who will travel around the U.S. delivering a message of hope to children’s cancer hospitals. Hannah was five years old when she was diagnosed with a Stage 3 Wilms tumor that enveloped her kidney. Since her recovery, she has pursued her love of dancing and singing to help uplift and encourage other children and families through their fight. Twelve-year-old Ryan was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia six years ago, and since his recovery, he has shared his story and words of encouragement with children and families across the country with passion and mission. Watch Hannah and Ryan’s story.
HHOW was born out of a group of Hyundai employees and local Boston-area Hyundai dealers to support their local children’s hospital. Since 1998, the organization has funded $115 million in research and created greater awareness of childhood cancer, which is the leading cause of death by disease in children and adolescents in the United States (source). Out of the 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer diagnosed each year, one in five children will not survive the disease.
“More than 40,000 children undergo treatment for cancer each year, and for one night, we want to put pediatric cancer on pause and celebrate the lives of these child cancer survivors,” said Dave Zuchowski, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “We have one mission at Hyundai Hope On Wheels: to end pediatric cancer. Whether it’s a night recognizing the bravery of these child cancer survivors or providing grants to medical professionals whose mission is finding a cure, we hope that these efforts and stories of hope encourage others to join us in the fight to end childhood cancer.”
This year’s vehicle of Hope is a 2017 Hyundai Tucson, which will travel the nation with the handprints of child cancer survivors. Beginning June 1st, we will travel across the nation presenting over $13 million in grant awards at unique Handprint Ceremonies. HHOW collects handprints, which represent the brave and courageous pediatric cancer fighters and shows them that they are not alone. Watch our Heroes 4 Hope video series to learn about the impact of pediatric cancer on children and their family.
“’You have pediatric cancer,’ are four words that children and parents should never hear,” said Scott Stark (South Point Hyundai, Austin, TX) Chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels. “Children deserve to grow, play, and learn without having to face cancer. While research has helped to achieve cure rates of up to 80 percent in some forms of pediatric cancer, that is just not good enough for us. We continue to fund innovative research and serve as a champion on behalf of these kids.”
For more information, please visit www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.
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HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS
Hyundai Hope On Wheels® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 800 U.S. dealers. At the end of its 16th year, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will have awarded more than $86 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, 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 820 dealerships nationwide.
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