Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Representatives of Augusta area Hyundai dealers, Hyundai Hope on Wheels and Georgia Health Sciences University were on hand Tuesday for the presentation of a $100,000 check.

The award was given to GHSU to fund research on childhood cancer, specifically brain tumors. Augusta-area children affected by cancer were also on hand to place colorful hand prints on a canvas to mark their battles with the disease.

The presentation took place at the Georgia Health Sciences Children’s Medical Center.

"This donation represents a critical pledge in our fight against pediatric brain cancer," said Dr. Theodore Johnson, a Children's Medical Center pediatric hematologist/oncologist, in a news release. "This is important because the more we understand about how these tumors quietly advance, the easier it will be to develop new medications and other therapies to defeat those mechanisms in children with brain tumors."

The center is one of 71 recipients of the Hope Grant Program, which is giving away $7.1 million in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

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