Since 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels and its more than 800 dealers have been committed to fighting childhood cancer, raising awareness by collecting thousands of children's handprints and committing to date more than $43 million to finding a cure.

In 2010, Hope on Wheels expanded its historic commitment to battling childhood cancer in honor of the month of September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, with its Hope Grant program, donating $6.8 million in the form of $100,000 research and programmatic grants to 68 nonprofit institutions across the country.

In its continued support in 2011, Hyundai Hope on Wheels awarded a record breaking $7.1 million to 71 pediatric cancer research projects and programs at COG institutions nationwide.

In addition, Hyundai Hope on Wheels launched the first ever “Tucson Drive 4 Hope” tour to recognize pediatric cancer patients across the U.S. The mobile tour traveled the country in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, making an appearance at 13 of the 71 ceremonies. By the end of September, the Tucson collected hundreds of handprints from children around the country, each representing a personal story about a child’s battle with this deadly disease.

This year, Hyundai Hope on Wheels will launch its 3rd Annual September Hope Grant initiative awarding $250,000 research and programmatic grants to support pediatric cancer research aimed at finding cures for pediatric cancer.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels will open up a call for proposals for its 2012 Hope Grant program, with the goal to support the best, brightest and most promising researchers, whose work is likely to have a significant impact on understanding the biology and/or developing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in the field of pediatric cancer. Please check back later this year for the winning proposals, as judged by the Hope on Wheels Medical Advisory Committee, and the tour schedule.