Hyundai is planning to spend half of its marketing budget to promote National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, so Hyundai is committing more than half of its marketing budget for the month to raising money to support its main charity, Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
Last week, the Korea-based automaker announced $6.8 million in “Hope Grants” to fund direct research and support initiatives by doctors, nurses, social workers, child life specialists and other professionals who work with children with cancer. Throughout the month, the nonprofit Hope on Wheels will visit about 60 grant recipients to present the donations and hear from the children, families, doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, child life specialists, counselors and other professionals that are fighting childhood cancer.
“While we’ve made progress over the last few decades and now have an 85 percent cure rate, cancer still takes more lives than any other childhood disease,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. He said that 36 children in this country are diagnosed with cancer every day.
Krafcik said fighting childhood cancer fits with the company’s corporate philosophy to take on big challenges.
“We can think of no more worthy challenge than finding a cure for all forms of pediatric cancer,” he said.
Hyundai dealers have committed to donate $100 for every car sold in September and Hyundai will provide a matching amount.
“For the last 12 years Hope on Wheels has supported the fight against childhood cancer in partnership with Hyundai dealers, Hyundai Motor America and others,” said Oscar Leeser, principal of Hyundai of El Paso. “The more people learn about the toll this disease takes on children and families, the more they want to help fight it.”
By the end of the year, Hope on Wheels will have awarded more than $23 million to children’s hospitals and nonprofit organizations across the U.S. to support the fight against childhood cancer.
The complete list of Hope Grant recipients and more information on Hyundai Hope on Wheels is available at www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org. Find Hope on Wheels on Facebook and follow the cause on Twitter at @hopeonwheels.
TheDetroitBureau.com Publisher Paul A. Eisenstein contributed to this report.