Pediatric cancer care has hit a million-dollar milestone at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. Hyundai Hope On Wheels awarded the medical center with a $100,000 Hyundai Impact Grant to fund childhood cancer research, programmatic support and direct patient assistance programs. This gift brings the organization’s cumulative donation to Kapiolani to $1.1 million since 2009.
“Mahalo to Hyundai Hope On Wheels for its ongoing support of cancer care at Kapiolani,” Dr. Randal K. Wada, Kapiolani chief of pediatric hematology and oncology, said. “Over the years, the organization has helped to fund specialized equipment and programs that can only be found in Hawaii at Kapiolani. Hyundai Hope On Wheels understands the critical role our medical center serves not only in our community, but across the Pacific.”
This commitment to serving cancer patients recently earned Kapiolani a prestigious international recognition for high standards of quality and safety. Hawaii’s only full-service women’s and children’s hospital is the first in the state to earn accreditation from the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB). The cellular therapy accreditation means patients will have opportunities to participate in more clinical trials at Kapiolani. Expanding treatment options with cutting-edge care ultimately improves patient outcomes.
In honor of Hyundai’s gifts to cancer care, some Kapiolani pediatric patients and their doctors got their hands dirty today for Hyundai Hope On Wheels’ signature Handprint Ceremony. Together, they covered their hands in paint and placed them on a Hyundai vehicle. The colorful handprints symbolize the collective fight against pediatric cancer and hope for a cure.
Kapiolani received one of more than 90 grants being given nationwide to institutions that focus on improving outcomes and treatments for children with cancer. It is a $26 million commitment this year by Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. In 1998, a group of New England Hyundai dealers joined the fight against pediatric cancer and inspired Hyundai Hope On Wheels. What started as a local initiative has grown into a nationwide movement, funding more than 1,300 cancer research studies at over 175 medical institutions.
Photo (top): Rajesh Gupta, Hyundai Motor America western regional sales manager, and Dr. Randal K. Wada, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children chief of pediatric hematology and oncology, celebrate Hyundai Hope On Wheels’ $100,000 Hyundai Impact Grant.