Hyundai Hope On Wheels Awards $100,000 to Roswell Park to Fund Infant Leukemia Immunotherapy Research

BUFFALO, NY –  Hyundai Hope On Wheels® (HHOW), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its U.S. dealers, awarded a $100,000 Hyundai Impact Award Grant to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to continue its long-standing fight against pediatric cancer. The Hyundai Impact Award was presented to Lisa Niswander, MD, PhD, at Roswell Park on Wednesday for research on CAR T-cell immunotherapy for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Dr. Niswander, a Buffalo native, works in the Department of Pediatric Oncology with a specialty in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Roswell Park. 

Jason Koepsell, the father of a pediatric patient named Hannah, spoke about their family’s story with cancer. 

“Our story starts in June of 2022. At that time, Hannah was 11 years old. She played softball. She cheered. She danced,” said Koespell. “When she came home with elbow pain one day, we never thought that would lead to the worst words a parent could hear.”

In February 2025, Hannah received a bone marrow transplant. Her little brother was her donor. 

“With this generous support from Hyundai Hope on Wheels, we will be working in the lab over the next year to establish and validate the most optimal combination strategies incorporating these targeted inhibitors with CAR T-cell immunotherapy to treat infant leukemia,” said Dr. Niswander. “I expect our results will provide a strong foundation for new treatment strategies in the clinic to help more infants and children with leukemia achieve a long-term cure with CAR T-cell immunotherapy.”

Throughout the summer and into September — which is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month — Hyundai Hope On Wheels is traveling the nation to award $27 million in impact grants to doctors who are advancing major progress in pediatric cancer research. This brings the organization’s lifetime donation totaling more than $277 million to help kids fight cancer. 

“For almost three decades, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has driven hope in hospitals, homes and communities nationwide. But this story isn’t about us. This is about the families who inspire us every day—and the scientific pioneers, like those here today, who are leading innovative and life-saving research,” said Mark Delaney, Eastern Region Merchandising Manager at Hyundai. “More kids have a second chance at life. This is the beating heart of everything we do.”

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About Hyundai Hope On Wheels
Hyundai Hope On Wheels® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing critical research aimed at improving treatments and saving lives. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 830 U.S. dealers. In 2024, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will surpass a lifetime total donation of $250 million in support of more than 1,300 childhood cancer research grants to over 175 hospitals and research institutions.

About Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company’s Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (in development in Georgia), and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundai’s 835 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a recent economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.

About Roswell Park
From the world’s first chemotherapy research to the PSA prostate cancer biomarker, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center generates innovations that shape how cancer is detected, treated and prevented worldwide. The Roswell Park team of 4,000+ makes compassionate, patient-centered cancer care and services accessible across New York State and beyond. Rated "Exceptional" by the National Cancer Institute, Roswell Park, founded in 1898, was one of the first NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country and remains the only one in Upstate New York. To learn more about Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Roswell Park Care Network, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email ASKRoswell@RoswellPark.org.

About the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation 
The Roswell Park Alliance Foundation is a is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that manages all donations made to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Its mission is to maximize dollars available for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s most promising lifesaving research, treatment and prevention programs, while supporting the psychosocial needs of patients and families touched by cancer.