- The Hyundai Hope on Wheels national tour stopped in Eastern Ontario, with Handprint Ceremonies at Kingston General Hospital and a local dealership alongside CHEO in Ottawa, celebrating the strength of young patients battling cancer.
- Hyundai Hope on Wheels has donated $200,000 to the two hospitals, which is part of Hyundai Canada charity’s 2026 commitment of more than $4.1-million towards pediatric cancer care, research and family support programs that is being donated across Canada.
- The Kingston and Ottawa stops for Hyundai Hope on Wheels continues the organization’s second annual cross-country tour that will see it stop in 16 Canadian communities, building on the success of its inaugural year.
MARKHAM, ON, Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — The colourful handprints at the centre of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Handprint Ceremony tell a powerful story of resilience.
Left behind by children who have faced cancer, including young cancer patients Anderson Thoman of Kingston and Charley of Ottawa, they are a powerful reminder of the battle too many families have had to face. Earlier this week, the cross-Canada Hyundai Hope on Wheels tour brought its signature Handprint Ceremonies to Kingston and Ottawa, presenting $100,000 grants at each stop while celebrating the remarkable journeys of young patients whose courage continues to inspire their communities.
In Kingston on September 15th, Hyundai Hope on Wheels made a $100,000 donation to the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation to support the research infrastructure that enables its clinical trials program and some supportive care studies, including a study that administers cryotherapy with slushies to help prevent mucositis.
On September 17th, the tour stopped at a local dealership gifting CHEO, the pediatric health centre in Ottawa with another $100,000 donation to support pediatric oncology care and research.
A registered charitable foundation, Hyundai Hope on Wheels is dedicated to funding pediatric cancer care, survivorship and research while raising awareness of childhood cancer. Supported by Hyundai Canada’s 225 dealers across the country, Hyundai Hope on Wheels funds its mission through donations tied to every new Hyundai vehicle sold in Canada.
“Each handprint represents a child’s courage, a family’s hope and the determination of health-care professionals and researchers working to change the future of childhood cancer,” says Fabio Cappella, Director of Product and Corporate Strategy with Hyundai Canada. “Through these donations, Hyundai Hope on Wheels is proud to help hospitals in Kingston and Ottawa advance the research, care and support that young patients and their families rely on.”
A powerful reminder of tough battles
The signature Handprint Ceremony is at the heart of every Hyundai Hope on Wheels event. During the ceremony, children who have faced cancer pick a paint colour, dip their palm in it and leave their handprint on a Hyundai vehicle, creating a powerful tribute to their journeys and the courage, resilience and hope they embody every day.
As handprints cover the vehicle, it is transformed into a vibrant symbol of hope and the collective fight against childhood cancer. As the handprint-covered vehicle travels across Canada, it raises awareness and shares the stories of children and families impacted by childhood cancer.
The stories that keep us on the road
Each Handprint Ceremony features a patient ambassador and their family sharing the story of their journey battling cancer.
University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
Six-year-old Anderson Thoman was diagnosed with B Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma last year, and has been in treatment since June 2025. While his prognosis is good, the frequency of his treatment at Kingston General Hospital has varied greatly through the various stages, and he still faces another year of treatment, taking daily doses of oral chemotherapy at home.
CHEO
Last spring, Charley developed leg pain and a limp, which was originally chalked up to growing pains. But when her physiotherapist noticed a lump in her abdomen, her parents got her to CHEO right away. Not long after, they got the news every family dreads: Charley had a large cancerous tumour in her pelvis that required radiation, chemotherapy and several surgeries, including an 18-hour operation to remove the tumour. She is on a long road to recovery but faces it head on with positivity, resilience and maturity well beyond her 10 years.
Support from the showroom to the road
A portion of every new Hyundai vehicle sold in Canada is contributed to Hyundai Hope on Wheels. With well more than 100,000 vehicles sold in Canada every year, the support is significant. Canada was the first country Hyundai expanded to globally, and over the 40 years it has been in the country it has put down strong roots in communities from coast to coast to coast. Hyundai Canada’s 225 dealers across the country are very involved citizens of their community.
“Every year, nearly 1,000 children in Canada are diagnosed with cancer,” says Jeff Hewitt, Director, Connected Digital Experience at Hyundai Canada. “Behind every diagnosis is a child with dreams, a family holding onto hope, and health-care professionals working tirelessly toward a cure. That is why Hyundai Hope on Wheels exists. Together with our dealers, health-care partners, researchers and supporters, we are driving hope forward, advancing pediatric cancer research and working toward a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive.”
About Hyundai Hope on Wheels
Every time a new Hyundai is sold, a portion of that sale will help to fund Hyundai Hope on Wheels. In 2026, Hyundai Hope on Wheels continues to expand its impact across Canada, committing more than $4.1 million toward pediatric cancer, supported by Hyundai Auto Canada and its network of more than 225 Hyundai dealers nationwide. Through its new partnership with Canada’s C17 Council, Hyundai Hope on Wheels helps advance pediatric oncology clinical trials and research by providing dedicated funding support.
Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a registered charitable foundation dedicated to helping end childhood cancer. Since launching in Canada in 2025, it has become one of the country’s leading supporters of pediatric cancer research, care and survivorship through impactful investments that help advance treatment and improve outcomes for children and their families.
Media Contacts:
- Nitish Bissonauth, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Hyundai Auto Canada; nbissonauth@hyundaicanada.com
- Mohga Hassib, Corporate Communications, Hyundai Auto Canada; mhassib@hyundaicanada.com
SOURCE Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
