Hyundai Hope on Wheels donates $100,000 to Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation to support children facing cancer

• Each year, about 70 children and their families at the Alberta Children’s Hospital receive a paediatric cancer diagnosis.
• Hyundai Hope on Wheels continues its commitment to donate over $4 million in 2025 to support paediatric oncology centres across Canada, with Alberta Children’s Hospital marking the seventh donation in its inaugural year.

Calgary, Alberta (September 10, 2025) – Today, Hyundai Canada, through its charitable foundation Hyundai Hope on Wheels, presented Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation with a $100,000 donation to support children and youth receiving cancer care at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary.

Every year at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, about 70 children are diagnosed with cancer. Over the past 50 years, childhood cancer survival rates have increased from 20 to 80 per cent, largely due to clinical trials and advanced therapies provided at the hospital’s oncology department, and paediatric oncology survival rates have improved by more than 30 per cent, over the last decade.

From left to right: Dr. Geoffrey Cuvelier, section head, Paediatric Oncology and Transplant, Alberta Children’s Hospital; Saifa Koonar, president and CEO, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation; Aurora, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation ambassador; Lief Sorensen, dealer principal, Calgary Hyundai; and Kirk Merrett, director of human resources and administration and executive administering Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Hyundai Canada

“We are so inspired by Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ commitment to support childhood cancer care across the country and truly grateful for this generous gift that will make a huge difference for kids and their families facing a cancer diagnosis at the Alberta Children’s Hospital,” says Saifa Koonar, President and CEO, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The Alberta Children’s Hospital delivers highly specialized care to young patients in southern Alberta, including Red Deer, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge. Its oncology team provides comprehensive care for children with cancer, treating hundreds of patients each year with compassion, innovation, and expertise.

To mark the donation, Hyundai Hope on Wheels hosted its signature Handprint Ceremony, a powerful tradition of the foundation. During the event, children affected by cancer were invited to place their painted handprints on a white Hyundai vehicle, alongside families, care teams, and community members. Each handprint serves as a symbol of courage, unity, and the ongoing fight to end childhood cancer.

“We are proud to be here today presenting this donation to the amazing hospital and foundation team in Calgary,” said Kirk Merrett, Hyundai Canada’s Director of Human Resources and Administration, and the executive who administers Hyundai Hope on Wheels. “Every contribution makes a difference in children’s lives and futures, and we are grateful to continue bringing handprint ceremonies and donations to communities across Canada.”

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a registered non-profit focused on funding research and care programs for children with cancer. The $100,000 donation to Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation is part of a broader $4 million commitment Hyundai Hope on Wheels is making in 2025 to support paediatric oncology centres across Canada. Through this initiative, Hyundai Canada is proud to give back to the communities where its employees and customers live and work — and to help drive progress, one handprint at a time.