September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and it is a time to bring awareness to childhood cancer and recognize the young lives impacted by the disease. While pediatric cancer is relatively rare and research has created cure rates upwards of 80%, pediatric cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease for children in the United States. There are 15,000 new cases diagnosed each year and one in five of these children will not survive the disease. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to helping kids fight cancer by providing funding for research and treatment, and through increasing awareness for the disease. Since its inception in 1998, Hope On Wheels has provided over $72.6 million in life saving grants.
This month, Hope On Wheels has donated $10.25 million to 41 children’s hospitals and institutions across the United States in support of continued medical research and programs that improve quality of life for children with cancer. Hyundai was joined by members of the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, policymakers, Hyundai executives and dealers, practitioners and patients as it announced the accomplishments of the Hope On Wheels program. Special recognition was also given to the local Washington, D.C. area hospitals that have received Hope Grants, including Children’s National Medical Center and Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Additionally, Dr. Crystal L. Mackall, Chief, Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, served as the keynote speaker. Dr. Mackall provided an overview of the current state of pediatric oncology, particularly around the ground breaking research being conducted throughout the industry
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