Contact: Alice Warchol at (757) 668-9049
or email Alice.Warchol@CHKD.org
This year’s grant to CHKD brings Hyundai’s support over the years to $1 million.
NORFOLK, Va. – On Wednesday, Aug. 27, pediatric cancer patients and families gathered in front of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters to celebrate a $100,000 grant from Hyundai Hope on Wheels to support cancer research at the hospital. With this year’s grant, Hyundai’s support of CHKD’s cancer program tops $1 million.
“This cause and its commitment to create a healthier, happier world for millions of children is truly built in every single Hyundai sold throughout the country,” said Ryan Garner, general manager of Checkered Flag Hyundai in Virginia Beach. “But this is not just about selling cars. This is about hope and the belief that a better future is possible.”
During Wednesday’s ceremony, patients coated their hands in colorful paint to make handprints on a Hyundai vehicle to symbolize the collective fight against pediatric cancer and hope for a cure. The grant will help CHKD’s cancer specialists ensure that children throughout southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina have access to the best care close to home. The cancer program at CHKD follows more than 500 children who range in age from newborn to their mid-20s.
Before the handprint ceremony began, Dr. William Owen, a pediatric hematologist and oncologist and the division director of the Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at CHKD, spoke about how important funding is to pediatric cancer research and improved treatments.
“Every year, around 70 local families hear the devastating words from us that their child has cancer,” Owen said. “And at that moment, their life changes forever. But thanks to generous support from supporters like Hyundai, we’re able to offer real hope to our patient families. Pediatric cancer research gives our patients the best possible chance to recover so they can get back to what they want to be doing – being regular kids.”
At CHKD, the Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center has approximately 100 clinical trials open for children with cancer. “The funding is so vital to keep that going,” Owen said.
Chesapeake resident Amanda Helvig also spoke during the ceremony about her daughter, Emmalyn, and her cancer journey, which began in 2023 when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
“I still remember the moment Dr. Lowe walked into that room in the Emergency Department, and told us those devastating words: ‘Your daughter has leukemia.’ From that moment, through every step of the last two years, every doctor, nurse, and staff member at CHKD has been such a blessing to our family. Because they haven’t just cared for her body—they have also cared for her spirit.”
Emmalyn, now 6, continues to do well in the maintenance phase of her treatment. She recently started first grade and had her first softball practice.
“Seeing her dance, laugh, and ride her bike again is a gift I will never take for granted,” Helvig said.
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About Hyundai Hope On Wheels
Hyundai 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 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.