Hyundai Hope on Wheels Awards $100,000 to Roswell Park to Fund CAR T-Cell Research for Children with AML

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 commitment to advancing pediatric cancer. The Hyundai Impact Award was presented to David Byrwa, MD, at Roswell Park on Thursday to support research into CAR T-cell therapy for children with relapsed or treatment-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dr. Brywa works in the Department of Pediatric Oncology at Roswell Park.

14-year-old Kienen Duggan, a pediatric patient at Roswell Park, shared her cancer story. Kienen was diagnosed with AML last August. She underwent chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant – with her sister being the donor. 

“Through it all, I knew I could rely on my doctors here at Roswell Park. One of them was Dr. Dave [Brywa]. He has been there since the beginning,” said Kienen. “I always had faith and trust in my doctors at Roswell Park. For every up and down, my doctors were always there rooting for me and cheering me on every step of the way.”

Keinen has been declared cancer free and rang the Victory Bell at Roswell Park on April 24. 

This grant through Hyundai Hope on Wheels supports the development of a promising new CAR T-cell therapy for children with limited treatment options.

"Our goal is to bring promising discoveries from the laboratory to the children who need them most. This grant allows us to take an important step toward evaluating a new CAR T-cell therapy that has the potential to improve outcomes for pediatric AML patients,” said Dr. Byrwa. "Support like this from Hyundai Hope on Wheels makes it possible to move innovative ideas into clinical trials. We're hopeful this research will lead to safer, more effective treatments for children facing relapsed or treatment-resistant AML."

With this latest grant, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has reached $1 million in lifetime giving to Roswell Park. 

"This milestone is a powerful reminder that meaningful progress in pediatric cancer research is built in part through sustained partnerships,” said Dr. Kara Kelly, chair of the Department of Pediatric Oncology at Roswell Park. “Hyundai Hope on Wheels' continued investment enables us to ask bigger questions, pursue innovative therapies and, ultimately, give more children the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives."

Since 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has worked tirelessly to support the families, researchers, doctors, and children affected by childhood cancer. To date, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has awarded grants totaling more than $303 million, thanks to Hyundai Motor America and its nationwide dealers. Through these partnerships, Hyundai Hope on Wheels continues to advance research and bring hope to families affected by childhood cancer.

“Advancing pediatric cancer research requires bold science and sustained commitment,” said John Guastaferro, executive director, Hyundai Hope on Wheels. “We are deeply grateful to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and its doctors and researchers whose dedication drives progress to the children and families who need it most.”

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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 2025, Hyundai Hope on Wheels awarded over $27 million in pediatric cancer research grants to hospitals throughout the United States.

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. To learn more about the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation and the research and patient care programs it supports at Roswell Park, visit https://roswellparkalliancefoundation.org/.