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HOPE ON WHEELS CELEBRATES 5TH YEAR AT LOMBARDI

On Wednesday, September 24, 2008, twelve children who received care at Lombardi’s Children’s Cancer Foundation Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic enjoyed a morning of fun and laughter as they placed their red, blue, and green paint-covered hands on a shiny, new 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV. This activity was part of the fifth annual Hyundai “Hope on Wheels” ceremony to support pediatric cancer research.

The SUV and these handprints represent the hopes of pediatric cancer patients and their families throughout the United States. The event drew a crowd of almost one hundred family members and visitors.

Don Reilly, owner of Fairfax Hyundai, represented the Washington, DC area Hyundai dealers at the event. On behalf of Hyundai, he presented a $40,000 check to Aziza Shad, MD, founder of Lombardi’s pediatric cancer survivorship program and David Nelson, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Georgetown. The donation will support the pediatric survivorship program, which provides ongoing support and care to patients who have completed active treatment.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Hyundai has supported the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center with its Hope on Wheels research award. To date, area Hyundai dealers have donated $225,000 to Dr. Shad’s survivorship program.

2008 marks the 10th anniversary of Hyundai Hope on Wheels campaign tour, and this year it will visit thirty-two children’s hospitals throughout the country. The program exists thanks to the hard work of over 780 Hyundai dealers from across the United States. In 2008, these dealers will donate over $1.6 million to help pay for cancer research and treatment and help raise awareness about pediatric cancer. To date, the Hyundai Corporation has donated more than $10 million to children’s hospitals nationwide.