Children’s Mercy Hospital welcomes impactful donation
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Hyundai Hope on Wheels Impact Award was established to provide funding for research and program for the selected institution’s pediatric oncology department.
Tuesday morning they increased their assistance with a $100,000 check to Children’s Mercy Hospital.
Children ed in on the celebrations with the program’s signature handprint ceremony.
Hope On Wheels celebrates its 25th anniversary with $25 million in pediatric cancer research and program grants to hospitals across the country. This brings the organization’s donation total to $225 million since Hyundai ed the fight against pediatric cancer in 1998.
The money helps but the battle continues still.
“80% are being cured of their cancer but that goes with a lot of treatment, goes a lot with heartbreak, and therefore we’re never done trying to cure the children with cancer until 100% are cured,” said Alan Gamis, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Division Director.
Hope On Wheels is set to reach nearly 1,300 research and programmatic grants to 175 hospitals and research institutions over its 25-year history.
“This program is all about the kids. Their dreams, goals, and futures are important to all of us. Our goal is to help kids grow and succeed in a world free of pediatric cancer. You are hope and we believe in you,” said John DeNeve, Hyundai South Central Region General Manager.
“Hyundai Hope on Wheels is honored to have reached this milestone, which humbly started as a local initiative in New England 25 years ago,” said Kevin Reilly, Vice Chairman of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Board of Directors, and President of Alexandria Hyundai. “While we are proud of this growth and the significant advancements in pediatric cancer research, we remain as unwaveringly dedicated to our goals of funding research and creating awareness as when we started. The resilience of pediatric cancer fighters, survivors, and their families inspires us to continue this journey and strengthen our commitment to bring hope and put an end to childhood cancer.”
“While we are thrilled that we are now able to cure over 80 percent of children with cancer, our goal is to get to 100 percent,” said Dr. Dan Wechsler, a long-standing member of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Medical Advisory Committee. “Appropriate funding is critical to ensure that doctors, scientists, and institutions continue their cutting-edge research.”
READ MORE: Children’s Mercy reaches medical milestone
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