Article – Hyundai’s fight against pediatric cancer received a significant boost in Halifax last week as executives presented a $250,000 cheque to IWK Health Centre, marking the automaker’s largest single donation to Atlantic Canada’s premier children’s hospital.
The funding, presented through Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels initiative, brings the company’s total contribution to IWK Health to over $1 million since partnerships began in 2006. The ceremony brought together hospital administrators, pediatric oncologists, and families whose children have received treatment at the facility.
“This isn’t just about writing cheques,” explained Ken Maisonville, Director of Hyundai Canada’s Atlantic Region, during the presentation ceremony. “Our dealers across Nova Scotia have made fighting childhood cancer a community mission. When you buy a Hyundai in Halifax, you’re helping fund critical research happening right here.”
The donation specifically targets Dr. Conrad Fernandez’s innovative immunotherapy research program, which aims to help children whose cancers have proven resistant to conventional treatments. Dr. Fernandez’s team has been developing protocols that harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells without the harsh side effects associated with traditional chemotherapy.
“What makes the Hyundai partnership special is the continuity,” Dr. Fernandez told assembled guests. “Cancer research isn’t about quick fixes – it’s about sustained commitment. These funds help us bridge the gap between promising lab results and actual treatments for our most vulnerable patients.”
Jennifer MacIntosh, whose daughter Emily completed treatment for leukemia at IWK last year, shared her family’s journey with attendees. “When your child is diagnosed, your whole world narrows to one focus – getting them better. Knowing researchers here had funding to try new approaches gave us hope during the darkest days.”
According to Health Canada statistics, approximately 1,000 Canadian children under 15 are diagnosed with cancer annually, with leukemias and brain tumors being the most common types. While survival rates have improved dramatically over the past decades, reaching nearly 84% according to Canadian Cancer Society data, treatment options for relapsed cases remain limited.
Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels program operates nationwide but allows regional targeting of funds. The Halifax donation represents part of $5.4 million the company has committed to pediatric cancer initiatives across Canada in 2025.
“We chose the IWK for this significant gift because of their exceptional record turning research into treatment,” said Don Romano, President of Hyundai Canada. “Their team doesn’t just conduct studies – they transform findings into protocols that help children right now, not years down the road.”
The funding announcement comes at a critical time for medical research in Atlantic Canada. Provincial health budgets throughout the region have faced increasing pressure, with specialized research often relying on private donations to maintain momentum.
Dr. Krista Jangaard, President and CEO of IWK Health, emphasized how corporate partnerships have become essential to maintaining cutting-edge pediatric care. “Government funding covers our basic operations, but breakthroughs happen when we can pursue innovative approaches. Partners like Hyundai give our researchers the freedom to explore promising new directions.”
The donation event featured the program’s signature handprint ceremony, where current and former pediatric cancer patients pressed paint-covered hands onto a new Hyundai Santa Fe. The vehicle will tour dealerships throughout Nova Scotia, serving as a moving reminder of the children behind the statistics.
Eleven-year-old Zachary Thompson, who completed treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma last fall, placed his handprint prominently on the vehicle’s hood. “My doctor told me the medicine that made me better came from research,” he said. “Maybe my handprint will help someone else get better too.”
Local Hyundai dealers have committed to additional grassroots fundraising throughout the year, including a planned 5K run in September during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Last year’s event raised an additional $43,000 for the hospital.
The IWK Health Centre serves as the primary pediatric hospital for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, treating approximately 120 new pediatric cancer patients annually. The hospital has become known for its integrated approach to care, combining cutting-edge medical treatment with comprehensive family support services.
“What happens at IWK affects children across all three Maritime provinces,” noted Dr. Jason Berman, the hospital’s Chief of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. “When we develop new protocols here, they become available to children from Sydney to Fredericton to Charlottetown.”
For families facing pediatric cancer diagnoses in the region, the reinforced partnership between Hyundai and IWK offers tangible hope. As seven-year-old cancer survivor Olivia MacKenzie placed her bright blue handprint on the ceremonial vehicle, her mother Susan summed up the sentiment shared by many families in attendance: “Research funded today becomes the treatment that saves lives tomorrow.”
