Fueling Momentum in Childhood Cancer Research and Long-Term Survivorship Support
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Hyundai Hope on Wheels continues to power pediatric cancer breakthroughs — providing early support for Project:EveryChild and investing in long-term survivorship care.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS
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Hyundai Hope on Wheels honors researchers and hospitals that receive grants with handprint ceremonies, like this one at George Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C. in September 2025.
(Pictured left to right, back row: Executive Director John Guastaferro, Chief Operating Officer Claudia Márquez, Board Vice Chair Kevin Reilly, Hyundai Motor North America President and CEO Randy Parker. Front row from left: Hyundai Hope on Wheels Youth Ambassadors Jackson Trinh and Emmy Cole.)
In the mid-1990s, a group of Hyundai dealers in Baltimore and the Washington, D.C. area joined forces to donate funds to pediatric cancer research at hospitals in their communities. During that same period, a group of Boston-area Hyundai dealers did something similar, donating $75 to pediatric cancer research every time a Red Sox pitcher struck out a batter.
Supporting the advancement of breakthroughs in pediatric cancer research and treatment became Hyundai's top philanthropic priority in 1998, with the formation of Hyundai Hope on Wheels. Today, the organization ranks as one of the nation’s leading nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research. To date, more than 850 dealerships across North America have contributed nearly $300 million by donating a portion of every vehicle sold to Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ sole mission: fighting pediatric cancer through research funding and public awareness. Additional support comes from Hyundai Motor America and individual donors.
“We believe that bold ideas and unwavering collaboration are what move the needle for children fighting cancer. That’s why we are proud to support world‑class partners like Children’s Oncology Group,” said John Guastaferro, Executive Director of Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
“COG has a culture of outreach and determination that reflects our own commitment to ensuring that every child fighting cancer has access to bold research, new treatments, and long-term survivorship support.”
Foundational Support for Project:EveryChild
Hyundai Hope on Wheels provided crucial early support for COG’s Project:EveryChild, a repository of blood and tissue samples from many thousands of children with cancer. Launched in 2015, Project:EveryChild securely stores biospecimens from children treated at more than 220 hospitals in order to allow researchers to more precisely study pediatric cancers.
“Support from Hyundai Hope on Wheels has played a vital role in building and maintaining the equipment, technology, and physical space needed to store biospecimens for research,” said COG Chair Doug Hawkins, MD. “That infrastructure has paved the way for groundbreaking discoveries that are helping more kids survive cancer and grow up healthy.”
Supporting the advancement of breakthroughs in pediatric cancer research and treatment became Hyundai's top philanthropic priority in 1998, with the formation of Hyundai Hope on Wheels. Today, the organization ranks as one of the nation’s leading nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research. To date, more than 850 dealerships across North America have contributed nearly $300 million by donating a portion of every vehicle sold to Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ sole mission: fighting pediatric cancer through research funding and public awareness. Additional support comes from Hyundai Motor America and individual donors.
“We believe that bold ideas and unwavering collaboration are what move the needle for children fighting cancer. That’s why we are proud to support world‑class partners like Children’s Oncology Group,” said John Guastaferro, Executive Director of Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
“COG has a culture of outreach and determination that reflects our own commitment to ensuring that every child fighting cancer has access to bold research, new treatments, and long-term survivorship support.”
Foundational Support for Project:EveryChild
Hyundai Hope on Wheels provided crucial early support for COG’s Project:EveryChild, a repository of blood and tissue samples from many thousands of children with cancer. Launched in 2015, Project:EveryChild securely stores biospecimens from children treated at more than 220 hospitals in order to allow researchers to more precisely study pediatric cancers.
“Support from Hyundai Hope on Wheels has played a vital role in building and maintaining the equipment, technology, and physical space needed to store biospecimens for research,” said COG Chair Doug Hawkins, MD. “That infrastructure has paved the way for groundbreaking discoveries that are helping more kids survive cancer and grow up healthy.”
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Sharpening Focus on Long-Term Survivorship Issues
More recently, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has stepped up with critical support for initiatives to make life better for young cancer survivors long after they’ve rung the bell celebrating their “graduation” from cancer. “Even when kids ring that bell, we know that there are lots of medical challenges they’ll have to deal with for the rest of their lives,” Guastaferro said. |
“We believe that bold ideas and unwavering collaboration are what move the needle for children fighting cancer. That’s why we are proud to support world‑class partners like Children’s Oncology Group.” - John Guastaferro, Executive Director of Hyundai Hope on Wheels. |
These medical issues can include infertility, heart and lung issues, anxiety, and secondary cancers. The more Hyundai Hope on Wheels learned over the years about the need for funding to support research and resources for survivorship programs, the higher a funding priority it became.
In 2024, they launched a three-year, $5 million initiative focused on helping childhood cancer survivors get more effective and personalized health care, post-remission. As part of that initiative, they awarded a multi-year grant to the COG committee in charge of long-term follow-up guidelines that have become the gold standard for recommendations on screening and managing late effects stemming from childhood cancer treatment.
Additionally, Hyundai Hope on Wheels helped COG set up the infrastructure to develop the COG Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers, said Committee Co-Chairs Matthew Ehrhardt, MD, MS, and Danielle Friedman, MD, MS.
That infrastructure includes a full-time project coordinator who works with more than 200 volunteer contributors to keep the guidelines up to date with the latest advances in research.
“This ongoing support is essential to the development and ongoing maintenance of this valuable resource,” Ehrhardt said. “And it ensures that childhood cancer survivors across the globe continue to receive data-driven, state-of-the-art, risk-based long-term follow-up care to maximize their quality and quantity of life.”
In 2024, they launched a three-year, $5 million initiative focused on helping childhood cancer survivors get more effective and personalized health care, post-remission. As part of that initiative, they awarded a multi-year grant to the COG committee in charge of long-term follow-up guidelines that have become the gold standard for recommendations on screening and managing late effects stemming from childhood cancer treatment.
Additionally, Hyundai Hope on Wheels helped COG set up the infrastructure to develop the COG Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers, said Committee Co-Chairs Matthew Ehrhardt, MD, MS, and Danielle Friedman, MD, MS.
That infrastructure includes a full-time project coordinator who works with more than 200 volunteer contributors to keep the guidelines up to date with the latest advances in research.
“This ongoing support is essential to the development and ongoing maintenance of this valuable resource,” Ehrhardt said. “And it ensures that childhood cancer survivors across the globe continue to receive data-driven, state-of-the-art, risk-based long-term follow-up care to maximize their quality and quantity of life.”
BY THE NUMBERS |
Check presentation from Hyundai Hope on Wheels for Pediatric Cancer Research, Support & Survivorship
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Growing Commitment to Advancing Cancer Research
In total, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has awarded more than $277 million in grants to 1,400+ pediatric cancer researchers and programs supporting kids with cancer and their families. In 2023, they raised $25 million to celebrate the organization's 25th anniversary — $10 million more than the previous year.
“It was an amazing milestone in our progress,” Guastaferro said. “We really established a long-term commitment to this cause, thanks to increased support from Hyundai and its dealers.”
They raised even more the next two years and began expanding globally in 2025, beginning with Canada, Mexico, South Korea, and Australia. The expansion will continue with other countries in the coming years.
“It’s really a labor of love,” said Kevin Reilly, owner of Hyundai and Genesis dealerships in Alexandria, Virginia, and Vice Chair of Hyundai Hope on Wheels. His father, Don, as Hyundai's National Dealer Council Chairman, led the push to get dealers all over the country involved and is credited with co-founding Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
There’s nothing like seeing a young adult who survived cancer as a child talk about their happy, healthy lives and how grateful they are for the research Hyundai Hope on Wheels supports.
“Maybe they were 11 or 12 when they had cancer, and now they’re in their 20s — graduating from college, getting married,” Kevin said. “It’s just a joy to see their lives take such a wonderful trajectory.”
Children’s Oncology Group Foundation is proud to stand alongside partners, like Hyundai Hope on Wheels, that are advancing the future of pediatric cancer research. As Hyundai’s commitment continues to grow, so does the collective impact we can make for children and young adults facing cancer.
Together, we are fueling the discoveries that lead to better treatments, brighter survivorship outcomes, and the hope that every child will one day thrive beyond their diagnosis.
Learn more about other COG funders paving the way to our shared vision of a world without childhood cancer. To explore ways to join us in this vital work, please contact us at [email protected].
In total, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has awarded more than $277 million in grants to 1,400+ pediatric cancer researchers and programs supporting kids with cancer and their families. In 2023, they raised $25 million to celebrate the organization's 25th anniversary — $10 million more than the previous year.
“It was an amazing milestone in our progress,” Guastaferro said. “We really established a long-term commitment to this cause, thanks to increased support from Hyundai and its dealers.”
They raised even more the next two years and began expanding globally in 2025, beginning with Canada, Mexico, South Korea, and Australia. The expansion will continue with other countries in the coming years.
“It’s really a labor of love,” said Kevin Reilly, owner of Hyundai and Genesis dealerships in Alexandria, Virginia, and Vice Chair of Hyundai Hope on Wheels. His father, Don, as Hyundai's National Dealer Council Chairman, led the push to get dealers all over the country involved and is credited with co-founding Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
There’s nothing like seeing a young adult who survived cancer as a child talk about their happy, healthy lives and how grateful they are for the research Hyundai Hope on Wheels supports.
“Maybe they were 11 or 12 when they had cancer, and now they’re in their 20s — graduating from college, getting married,” Kevin said. “It’s just a joy to see their lives take such a wonderful trajectory.”
Children’s Oncology Group Foundation is proud to stand alongside partners, like Hyundai Hope on Wheels, that are advancing the future of pediatric cancer research. As Hyundai’s commitment continues to grow, so does the collective impact we can make for children and young adults facing cancer.
Together, we are fueling the discoveries that lead to better treatments, brighter survivorship outcomes, and the hope that every child will one day thrive beyond their diagnosis.
Learn more about other COG funders paving the way to our shared vision of a world without childhood cancer. To explore ways to join us in this vital work, please contact us at [email protected].