OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital wins $100,000 grant from Hyundai Hope On Wheels
09/09/11 Portland, Ore.
Hyundai Hope on Wheels and local dealers will today award OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital with a $100,000 Hope Grant to support research related to early relapse detection for acute myelogenous leukemia. OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is one of 71 recipients of Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ 2011 Hope Grant program, where $7.1 million will be awarded to support research and programs in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
The month-long program marks Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ largest donation period to-date, and will bring the total amount that the nonprofit has committed to childhood cancer, since it first began in 1998, to $43 million.
“We, at Hyundai, are thrilled to honor National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by donating Hope Grants to institutions that are creating new possibilities to support and help cure childhood cancer,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “Hyundai and our dealers will continue to support these doctors and institutions and bring attention to the disease that affects so many young people.”
The $100,000 Hope Grant was officially presented during a ceremony at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital on Friday, Sept. 9, where children battling cancer placed their handprints in colorful paint on a canvas to represent their personal triumph.
“This generous grant validates our unwavering commitment to excellence in the care for children suffering from cancer and provides strong support to our efforts in developing the next generation of treatments to cure childhood cancer,” said Peter Kurre, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics in the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
For the second year in a row, Hyundai’s competitive September program allowed institutions to apply for either research or programmatic grants. The submitted proposals were then reviewed by Hyundai’s elite board of medical directors. Each of the 71 Hope Grants will help fund new pediatric cancer research projects, and will be presented during a Hope Grant ceremony that will take place at the participating institution’s campus.
“We are proud to support the promising research projects and programs coming out of hospitals based right here in the Portland area,” said David Withnell, Withnell Hyundai. “Each and every colorful handprint tells a different story of courage and hope, reminding us that we can never give up on these kids and the fight to end childhood cancer.”
For more information on Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ September Hope Grant program and the 71 winning institutions, please visit HyundaiHopeonWheels.org.
About 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 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile power train warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee.
About 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. In 2011, Hope on Wheels will have committed more than $43 million in donations to pediatric cancer research since the program began in 1998. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
About OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital
OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital is ranked among the nation’s top 50 children's hospitals in eight specialties.* Each year OHSU Doernbecher cares for tens of thousands of children from Oregon, southwest Washington and beyond in the most patient- and family-centered environment. OHSU Doernbecher’s nationally recognized experts provide a full range of pediatric care resulting in more than 195,000 outpatient visits, discharges, surgeries and transports annually. Its experts travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington to provide specialty care to some 3,000 children at more than 154 outreach clinics in 13 locations. Visit www.ohsudoernbecher.com or www.facebook.com/doernbecher.
* US News Best Children’s Hospitals 2011-12.