In honor of Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute at MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach has received a $100,000 Impact Grant from Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Hyundai Motor America’s nonprofit dedicated to fighting childhood cancer.
This year’s grant will fund the hospital’s Adolescent & Young Adult Survivorship Program, which helps young patients transition from active treatment to life after cancer. It marks the third consecutive year Hyundai Hope on Wheels has supported the Institute with a $100,000 award, bringing the hospital’s total grant funding to $300,000 since 2023.
“We know the journey doesn’t end when treatment does,” said Dr. Jacqueline Casillas, medical director of the Institute. “This grant will make a real difference by enhancing our survivorship program, which offers personalized care plans, psychosocial support, and education tailored to the unique needs of adolescent and young adult patients.”
The program fills a crucial gap in cancer care, as adolescents and young adults often fall between pediatric and adult oncology systems. Services include monitoring for recurrence, managing long-term side effects, addressing fertility and mental health, and providing guidance on school, work, and independence. A multidisciplinary team of oncologists, psychologists, social workers, and nurse navigators works with patients to ensure ongoing health and well-being. Peer support and community resources further help young survivors thrive.
To celebrate the grant, Hyundai Hope on Wheels hosted its signature Handprint Ceremony at the hospital. Patients placed colorful handprints on a new Hyundai vehicle, symbolizing their resilience and hope. The vehicle will travel nationwide, raising awareness of childhood cancer.
“We’re deeply grateful for Hyundai’s continued partnership,” said Dinarte Viveiros, vice president and chief nursing officer at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “Their generosity not only honors our patients and families but also strengthens our mission to deliver compassionate, high-quality care.”
The Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute is one of only 10 children’s hospitals in the nation accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. The Institute provides leading-edge care for children with cancer, sickle cell disease, and other serious blood disorders.