Hyundai Hope On Wheels to Host 41 Events in 38 Cities

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If you have a spare dime, this is one charity that can use it.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Sept 1, 2012

Hyundai Hope On Wheels – September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Meet Hannah - Her story from earlier this year.

Thanks to Hyundai Hope on Wheels for their extraordinary gift: $75,000 to help our doctors find a cure for cancer.

And thanks to Hannah for the words she shared with them, "My favorite movie is Finding Nemo, and my advice to you is to just keep swimming." After the check presentation, Hannah and several other patients added their handprints to a white Santa Fe to commemorate their brave battles with cancer.

Hyundai's Helping Hand

Hyundai is doing something extraordinary by giving back in connection with September National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This month, Hyundai and Hyundai Hope On Wheels will be donating more than $10 million to fund pediatric cancer research at Children’s Oncology Group (COG) institutions across the United States. Since its inception in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has committed more than $57 million to childhood cancer research and programs for kids and families battling the disease.

According to the Hyundai release, this year marks its largest year yet, with 41 hospital events scheduled, three 5K run/walks, and a series of events in Washington, D.C. surrounding the Childhood Cancer Caucus. In a bid to strengthen chances in the fight for a cure, Hope On Wheels raised the September Hope Grant award amount this year from $100,000 to $250,000.

Kicking off National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Hope On Wheels 5K Run/Walk Series’ first race was held today at the University of California, Irvine campus. All proceeds from the Irvine event will benefit CHOC Children’s Hospital in Hyundai’s continued effort to support research from its major investment in the Hyundai Cancer Institute, which seeks a cure in young cancer patients through genomic medicine research. The 5K Series will then move to Chicago on September 9 in conjunction with the Chicago Half Marathon and Miami on September 29.

Hope On Wheels will also donate more than $10.25 million to children’s hospitals nationwide for pediatric cancer research through its signature Hyundai Hope Grant program. Hyundai Hope Grants, in the amount of $250,000 each, will be awarded to 41 principal investigators whose research proposals were chosen after an extensive review by Hope On Wheels’ Medical Advisory Committee. Currently in the U.S., there are over 300 research projects in process funded by Hope On Wheels grants.

Each of the Hyundai Hope Grants will be presented to winning institutions at a signature Handprint Ceremony, where children diagnosed with cancer will place their handprints in colorful paint on a new white Hyundai Tucson, the official vehicle of the program, to commemorate their battles with cancer. Every Handprint Ceremony celebrates the courageous lives of the children faced with cancer and brings a community of supporters together.

John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America:

“At Hyundai, our goal is for a child to never again have to hear the words ‘you have cancer’. Through the support of our dealers, hospital partners, online community and 5K runners and walkers, we believe that this goal is attainable as we join together for a cure. We congratulate and commend each institution for their important and life-changing work, and thank our supporters who help continue our efforts.”

John is also an avid runner and participates in a number of the 5K runs for Hyundai Hope On Wheels charities.

Also in September, Hyundai and its dealers will come together with U.S. Representative Michael McCaul for the 3rd Annual Childhood Cancer Summit in Washington, D.C. The summit will examine current childhood cancer legislation, the developments that have come to fruition, and explore future advancements that will benefit the children battling this disease. In attendance at this year’s events will be cancer survivor and current National Youth Ambassador, CJ George, who will be sharing his story and Hope On Wheels’ message of hope. Brianna Commerford, the former Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassador, will also be speaking this year on behalf of the Childhood Cancer Caucus.

Hope On Wheels funds nonprofit children’s hospitals across the U.S. in support of pediatric cancer research and seeks to build public awareness about the importance of this cause. The program is funded by Hyundai and its U.S. dealers. With every new Hyundai vehicle sold in the U.S., customers join Hyundai and its dealers in funding important life-saving research.

Gary Micallef, Hyundai Dealer-Owner of Hyundai of Everett in Everett, WA and Chairman of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors:

“We hope our efforts in September can bring greater awareness for this cause and increase the amount of funds we can provide researchers who are working tirelessly every day to help raise the cure rate.”

Personal Experience

My own Scotty is a now a healthy 20 year-old in his junior year at San Diego State. Fortunately he is alive today thanks to Cancer Research performed over decades that gave children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) a fighting chance from no survivors prior to the mid 1960’s. He was diagnosed just prior to his 9th Birthday and it was touch and go for well over a year. Even today, the annual checkup is a scary thought I dread like no other.

Like Scotty, today a large percentage of those fighting childhood ALL are in remission and it would not have been possible without donations from people like you.

My Scotty on his 9th birthday in the midst of his own battle with this dreadful disease.

5 Ways to Lend Hope a Hand

The Hyundai Hope On Wheels mission is simple: To reach the day when no child will ever have to hear the words, “You have cancer.” Join us this September in the fight against pediatric cancer and "Lend Hope a Hand" by doing any of the following:

1. Make a donation - Every dollar counts in the fight against pediatric cancer. Visiting Just Give allows you and your family and friends the chance to contribute towards finding a cure for childhood cancer.
   
   
2. Run in one of our 5K Run/Walks or create a virtual team to help raise funds - This year, we are hosting three 5K events in Orange County, Chicago and Miami. But even if you don’t live in one of those cities, you can still help fundraise from wherever you live.
   
   
3. Buy Hope On Wheels merchandise - Visit our page on Zazzle to purchase Hope On Wheels merchandise such as magnets, mugs, postcards and hats. Up to 45 percent of the purchase price is donated back to Hope On Wheels. Each item works great as a gift and will help to spread the word about this important cause.
   
   
4. Text to donate - Text HOPE to 80077 and donate $5 to Hope On Wheels. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 80077 to STOP. Text HELP to 80077 for HELP. Full Terms can be found at MGive.
   
   
5. Spread the word - This is one of the easiest ways to help! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay on top of all Hyundai Hope On Wheels' activities. Like, comment and share our posts and photos for all your friends to see.

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org or HyundaiRun4Hope.org to register for a race, make a fundraising pledge and join Hyundai’s “Team Hope” for the 5K Run/Walk Series. To support Hyundai Hope On Wheels on Facebook or Twitter, please consider any of the links posted above.

[MaxxMPG]

I think Hyundai should expand their Hope On Wheels program to provide incentives for eligible people to donate platelets and other blood products and also join the bone marrow registry. Once a week (when my schedule syncs with that of the blood center), I donate a double unit of blood platelets. It's the blood's "clotting factor" and supplies are often critically low because it is needed by cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy. Without platelets - which have a shelf life of only three days - these patients can die from blood loss.

Donating platelets is effortless, painless - except for the five seconds each it takes to insert the two needles, and perfectly safe for the donor. During a double platelet donation, the volume of blood processed is a bit more than the volume of blood in an average size adult. It is removed from one needle, is passed through a centrifuge to separate the components, some platelets and some plasma are removed, and then the rest is mixed back together with a bit of citrate and saline and returned in a second needle. For those who are squeemish at the sight of blood, you may not want to think about it as the little clear tubes run from clear to dark red and then slowly back to clear when the procedure is finished.

It is illegal in the US to offer money for blood products. My local blood center allows you to earn "points" that can be redeemed for gift cards or cheesy merchandise. The actual cash value wouldn't cover the cost of fuel to drive to the blood center, or compensate for the two hours it takes to complete a double unit donation. But you only need to see one relative slowly waste away after several years of fighting cancer to realize that this time and fuel used gives them just a little more time in this world, and maybe enough to help them beat the odds and go on to win the battle.

Perhaps Hyundai could partner with the larger blood centers to allow people to redeem these "points" toward the purchase or lease of a Hyundai vehicle. Although I don't know of any regular donors who are "in it for the rewards", it might just tempt some people who are eligible to donate and get them to donate regularly. And it would also get the Hyundai brand and the Hope On Wheels mission visible to people who visit the blood centers.