UNMC pediatric researcher, James Ford, DO, receives funding from Hyundai

The Hyundai Hope On Wheels Foundation has given $200,000 to support childhood cancer research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center with a grant to the University of Nebraska Foundation.
 
The Hyundai Hope On Wheels Young Investigator Award was presented to James Ford, DO, an associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at UNMC. Dr. Ford also holds professional appointments at Nebraska Medicine and Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha.
 
Dr. Ford will use the funding to test a novel therapy for treating osteosarcoma (OS), a type of bone cancer in children and young adults. The goal is to understand how the therapy works in OS to improve the lives of children.
 
Currently, children diagnosed with OS are treated using the same chemotherapy treatments as were individuals who were diagnosed with the same disease three decades ago.
 
Dr. Ford said he is grateful for the Hyundai Hope on Wheels grant and to Hyundai for its dedication and commitment to helping fight childhood cancer.
 
“Cancer is something that is so devastating to children and their families, but so many of them take solace in knowing that we are working towards a better tomorrow through research. I am grateful for Hyundai for their support in this effort,” he said. 
 
According to Dr. Ford, there have been efforts to optimize and intensify therapies, but this has not improved outcomes. The patients with the best initial prognosis still have a roughly 70 percent overall survival rate, while those with metastatic or relapsed disease have a dismal prognosis.
 
“OS survivors have significant toxicity that they carry throughout their lives as a result of their treatments,” Dr. Ford said.
 
The newest round of grants from Hyundai Hope On Wheels marks its 22nd anniversary and coincides with National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Its theme this year of “Every Handprint Tells a Story” details the bravery of children fighting cancer, their families and the ground-breaking research of doctors fighting for a cure.
 
“Throughout the country, talented doctors are working tirelessly to help kids fight cancer by conducting research or providing bedside care,” said Scott Fink, chairman of Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. “Our goal at Hope On Wheels is to provide these doctors with the grant funds they need to perform their lifesaving work.”
 
There are more than 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer diagnosed in the United States each year. With its campaign, Hyundai Hope On Wheels brings together the many stakeholders — the children, families, doctors, hospitals, advocates, supporters and others — who work to identify new ways to find a cure and improve care for children battling cancer.
 
This month, 26 new doctor-researchers will receive a combined $6.2 million in grants from Hyundai Hope On Wheels to support novel therapeutic approaches and innovative research options in pediatric cancer. Childhood cancer researchers depend largely on private funding to get innovative therapies off the ground and to advance treatment approaches to the next phase of testing, ultimately, bringing better therapies and cures to kids with cancer.
 
More information about the funding provided by Hyundai Hope On Wheels and its events throughout September in support of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is available at hyundaihopeonwheels.org.
 
About Hyundai Hope On Wheels
Hyundai Hope On Wheels® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit 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 life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 830 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $172 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.
 
About Hyundai Motor America
At Hyundai Motor America, we believe everyone deserves better. From the way we design and build our cars to the way we treat the people who drive them, making things better is at the heart of everything we do. Hyundai’s technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assurance—our promise to create a better experience for customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide and nearly half of those sold in the U.S. are built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea.
 
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About the University of Nebraska Foundation
The University of Nebraska Foundation grows relationships and resources that enable the university to change lives and save lives. It is ranked among the top 25 public U.S. universities for its endowed assets of $1.7 billion. During the foundation’s last fiscal year, more than 53,000 people and organizations gave $320.4 million to aid the university and its affiliated organizations, with 99 percent of all assets restricted to a specific use. The University of Nebraska has been named to America’s Favorite Charities by the Chronicle of Philanthropy for the last two years. More information is available at nufoundation.org.
 
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.
 
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