UNC Children’s Celebrates Continued Partnership with Hyundai Hope on Wheels
Hyundai Hope On Wheels Awards $100,000 Impact Grant to Advance Pediatric Cancer Care at UNC Children’s
On October 8, UNC Children’s welcomed Hyundai Hope On Wheels (HHOW) for a special handprint ceremony celebrating a new $100,000 Impact Grant to strengthen clinical care and research for children and young adults with cancer.
The event, held in the Children’s Hospital lobby, featured remarks from Ian Davis, MD, PhD, Chief of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology; Phan Tran, Senior Manager of Merchandising at Hyundai Motor America; and Alex Ferm, former HHOW National Youth Ambassador. Attendees also heard from Kelsie Boykin, MHA, LRT, CTRS, Aftercare Program Coordinator at UNC Children’s, who shared how philanthropic partnerships directly benefit patients and families navigating treatment and recovery.
Founded in 1998 by Hyundai Motor America and its U.S. dealers, Hyundai Hope On Wheels is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research, awarding more than $277 million in support of cutting-edge science and patient care to date. This year’s $100,000 Impact Grant will expand access to clinical trials, enhance survivorship programming, and improve care delivery for young patients treated at UNC Children’s.
UNC Children’s pediatric hematology-oncology program, part of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center’s clinical work at the North Carolina Basnight Cancer Hospital, provides world-class, family-centered care to children with blood disorders and cancer from across North Carolina. The HHOW partnership builds on more than a decade of collaboration advancing translational research and life-saving innovation led by UNC physician-scientists.
As children had their hands painted and pressed their colorful prints onto a blank canvas and Ms. Boykin’s lab coat —a symbol of hope and progress—the ceremony honored both the courage of young patients and the dedication of those working toward a cure.
Hyundai Hope On Wheels’ commitment fuels breakthroughs and brings renewed strength to families facing childhood cancer. UNC Health Foundation is proud to celebrate this ongoing partnership in the fight for every child’s tomorrow. To learn more about supporting UNC Children’s, contact Mary Gard, Executive Director of Development, Children’s, at [email protected].
