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Hyundai joins US congressional campaign against cancer

Posted September. 26, 2011 07:35,   

한국어

The U.S. Congress has invited Hyundai Motor to an annual campaign to fight childhood cancer. Hyundai is the first private company to be invited to such an event by Congress.

Hyundai said Sunday that the company was invited to the annual campaign at the U.S. Capitol Friday as an official partner of the campaign. The campaign is led by Child Cancer Caucus, a group of 77 congressional members established to fight childhood cancer.

The event was joined by members of the caucus, including Co-chairman Michael McCaul (Republican-Texas), representatives from medical and government organizations, and the Korean Embassy in Washington.

In the event, presentations on the necessity of early support to fight childhood cancer and the best practices related to treat such diseases were made. Hyundai`s childhood cancer treatment program "Hope on Wheels" was also introduced.

McCaul said he highly appreciates Hyundai for sharing the same goal and helping fight childhood cancer.

Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik and the company`s 16 U.S.-based dealers participated in the event to introduce Hyundai`s childhood cancer treatment program and full recovery cases.

Brianna Commerfold, a 13-year-old girl who has survived cancer thanks to the carmaker`s support, talked about how she recovered and thanked the Korean company.

Under the Hope on Wheels program, Hyundai has donated 230 million dollars from 1998 through last year to help develop treatment for child cancer.

In May this year, the company donated 10 million dollars to establish the Hyundai Cancer Institute at the Children`s Hospital of Orange County, California. Another donation of 20 million dollars will come this month, including 7.1 million dollars that will go to 71 medical institutions.

For the Hope on Wheels program, Hyundai`s U.S.-based dealers will donate 14 dollars whenever they sell a car and its U.S. subsidiary will also donate funds.

A Hyundai source said, "The U.S. Congress invited us as an official partner for the campaign after it highly rated our localization efforts made since our entry into the U.S. market in 1986," adding, "I hope this will serve as an opportunity to further boost both Hyundai Motor`s brand image and Korea`s profile."



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