Hyundai Hope on Wheels Announces 2025 Grant Award Winners

Hyundai Hope on Wheels marks 27 years of driving hope and innovation
$27 million in 2025 grants to advance pediatric cancer research nationwide
Hyundai Hope on Wheels reaches $277 million in lifetime giving

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Hope on Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its 850 U.S. dealers, recently announced the 2025 recipients of its annual research and programmatic grants. This year, Hyundai Hope on Wheels is donating $27 million to support the fight against pediatric cancer, bringing the organization’s lifetime total of giving to $277 million since its inception in 1998. A total of 106 grants will be awarded to medical institutions nationwide, aimed at improving outcomes and treatments for children with cancer, including 31 Hyundai Scholar Hope Grants at $400,000 each, 16 Hyundai Young Investigator Grants at $300,000 each, 57 Hyundai Impact Grants at $100,000 each, and two Hyundai Bridge2K Grants at $150,000 each.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels National Youth Ambassador, Jackson Trinh, at a Handprint Ceremony at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles on Aug. 5, 2025. (Photo/Hyundai)

(left to right) John Guastaferro, executive director, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Jackson Trinh, national youth ambassador, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Claudia Márquez, chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor America, Kevin Reilly, vice chair, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Emmy Cole, national youth ambassador, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Randy Parker, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 2, 2025 (Photo/Hyundai)

“Hyundai Hope on Wheels is at the heart of who we are at Hyundai,” said Randy Parker, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America. “Childhood cancer, unfortunately, affects too many families. This is why Hyundai Hope on Wheels was created – to help put an end to this disease. We’re proud to announce the 2025 grant winners who will undoubtedly continue to work tirelessly to support all those affected by pediatric cancer.”

In 1998, a group of New England dealers founded Hyundai Hope on Wheels to raise funds for the fight against pediatric cancer. Over the past 27 years, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has become a nationwide movement, with over 1,400 grants given to 175 institutions. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is also one of the leading pediatric cancer charities in the country.

“We are proud of the impact being made on people’s lives through Hyundai Hope on Wheels,” said John Guastaferro, executive director, Hyundai Hope on Wheels. “Through our partnerships with researchers, doctors, and hospitals all over the country, we are advancing hope through life-saving research, treatments, and survivorship programs.”

Four categories of grants are awarded to eligible Children’s Oncology Group (COG) member institutions. The Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant and the Hyundai Young Investigator Grant are two-year awards competitively selected for innovative research. Applications were reviewed by a Medical Advisory Committee comprised of leading pediatric oncologists from around the country. The Hyundai Impact Grant is an annual award that funds innovative research or programmatic support for the selected institution’s pediatric oncology department. The Hyundai Bridge2K grant is a one-year award that provides bridge funding for pediatric cancer researchers resubmitting high-scoring national grants.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is presenting these grants during Handprint Ceremonies, the organization’s signature event. During the ceremony, children affected by cancer, doctors, researchers, partners, and Hyundai representatives place their handprints on a Hyundai vehicle, symbolizing the collective fight against pediatric cancer and the united hope for a cure.

During National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, Hyundai Hope on Wheels honored its 27th anniversary in Washington, D.C. At its annual gala, Hyundai executives, members of Congress, doctors and researchers, and families convened to spotlight the remarkable progress the organization has made over the years and its 2026 expansion to new markets in Europe and India. Hyundai Hope on Wheels also held a congressional reception on Capitol Hill at the Rayburn House Office Building featuring an exhibit and a survivorship summit focused on the long-term support of pediatric cancer survivors.

Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant Winners ($400,000)

Institution	City	State
Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	Atlanta	GA
Children’s Health (Children’s Medical Center Dallas)	Dallas	TX
Children’s Hospital Colorado	Aurora	CO
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles	Los Angeles	CA
Children’s Minnesota	Minneapolis	MN
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center	Cincinnati	OH
Connecticut Children’s	Hartford	CT
Diamond Children’s Medical Center and University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center	Tucson	AZ
Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center	Durham	NC
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center	Washington	DC
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center	Baltimore	MD
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford	Palo Alto	CA
M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital	Minneapolis	MN
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital (NY Medical College)	Valhalla	NY
Mayo Clinic	Rochester	MN
MD Anderson Cancer Center	Houston	TX
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	New York	NY
Nationwide Children’s Hospital	Columbus	OH
Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health	Oklahoma City	OK
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital	Hershey	PA
Rady Children’s Hospital	San Diego	CA
Seattle Children’s Hospital	Seattle	WA
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital	Memphis	TN
St. Louis Children’s Hospital	St. Louis	MO
Texas Children’s Hospital	Houston	TX
The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore	Bronx	NY
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital	Los Angeles	CA
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital	Cleveland	OH
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	PA
Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia	Augusta	GA
Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital	New Haven	CT

Hyundai Young Investigator Grant Winners ($300,000)

Institution	City	State
Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	Atlanta	GA
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago	Chicago	IL
Children’s Health (Children’s Medical Center Dallas)	Dallas	TX
Children’s Hospital Colorado	Aurora	CO
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles	Los Angeles	CA
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia	Philadelphia	PA
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (2)	Boston	MA
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center	Baltimore	MD
Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital	Hackensack	NJ
NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital	New York	NY
Rady Children’s Hospital	San Diego	CA
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital	Memphis	TN
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital (2)	San Francisco	CA
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	PA

Hyundai Impact Grant Winners ($100,000)

Institution	City	State
Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta	Atlanta	GA
Arkansas Children’s	Little Rock	AR
Atrium Levine Children’s Hospital	Charlotte	NC
Baystate Health Foundation	Springfield	MA
Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU	Richmond	VA
Children’s Hospital Colorado Springs	Colorado Springs	CO
Children’s Hospital of OC (CHOC)	Orange	CA
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters	Norfolk	VA
Children’s Mercy Kansas City	Kansas City	MO
Children’s National Hospital	Washington	DC
Children’s of Alabama – Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders	Birmingham	AL
Children’s Wisconsin	Milwaukee	WI
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center	Cincinnati	OH
City of Hope Children’s Cancer Center	Duarte	CA
Diamond Children’s Medical Center and University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center	Tucson	AZ
Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center	Durham	NC
El Paso Children’s Hospital Foundation	El Paso	TX
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center	Washington	DC
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital	Hollywood	FL
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital	St. Petersburg	FL
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center	Baltimore	MD
Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital	Hackensack	NJ
Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Children	Honolulu	HI
Kentucky Children’s Hospital	Lexington	KY
Maine Children’s Cancer Program	Scarborough	ME
Manning Family Children’s	New Orleans	LA
Mass General Hospital	Boston	MA
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	New York	NY
Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital	Long Beach	CA
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt	Nashville	TN
MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital	Charleston	SC
Nationwide Children’s Hospital	Columbus	OH
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital	Miami	FL
Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health	Oklahoma City	OK
Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children	Orlando	FL
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital	Hershey	PA
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent	Indianapolis	IN
Phoenix Children’s	Phoenix	AZ
Primary Children’s Hospital	Salt Lake City	UT
Rady Children’s Hospital	San Diego	CA
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center	Buffalo	NY
Seattle Children’s Hospital	Seattle	WA
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital	Tampa	FL
St. Louis Children’s Hospital	St. Louis	MO
Tampa General Hospital	Tampa	FL
The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore	Bronx	NY
The Melodies Center at The Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center	Albany	NY
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center	Sacramento	CA
UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital	Chicago	IL
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital	Cleveland	OH
UNC Children’s Hospital	Chapel Hill	NC
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	PA
USA Health, Children’s and Women’s Hospital	Mobile	AL
UT Health San Antonio	San Antonio	TX
Vannie E. Cook Children’s Clinic	McAllen	TX
WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital	Morgantown	WV
Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital	New Haven	CT

Hyundai Bridge2K Grant Winners ($150,000)

Institution	City	State
Nationwide Children’s Hospital	Columbus	OH
Seattle Children’s Hospital	Seattle	WA

Hyundai Hope on WheelsHyundai Hope on Wheels® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing critical research aimed at improving treatments and saving lives. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope on Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 850 U.S. dealers. In 2025, Hyundai Hope on Wheels will reach a lifetime donation total of $277 million in support of more than 1,400 childhood cancer research grants to over 175 hospitals and research institutions.

Hyundai Motor AmericaHyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company’s Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundai’s 850 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a published economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.

SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels

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