Children’s Health℠ is committed to the fight to end childhood cancer. And our partner Hyundai Hope on Wheels is committed to this fight as well.

Since 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has worked tirelessly to support the families, researchers, doctors and children impacted by childhood cancer. To date, the organization has awarded grants totaling of $2.5 million to physicians to advance innovative research and provide life-saving impact for patients at Children’s Health. 

In 2022, Hyundai Hope on Wheels awarded a $200,000 Young Investigator Grant to Zoe O’Connor, M.D., Hematology/Oncology fellow at UT Southwestern Medical Center, who is exploring how the gut microbiome influences the anti-tumor response for cancer. 

Dr. O’Connor is trying to figure out the answer to why half of patients with incurable cancers do not respond to immunotherapy — a treatment that has revolutionized cancer treatment. According to Dr. O’Connor’s research proposal, there is mounting evidence that suggests the gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria residing within the human gastrointestinal tract — is critical for enhancing cancer immunotherapy efficacy.  

Findings from her research could be the groundwork to identify controllable indicators for CAR-T efficacy and possibly a novel gut microbiome therapy to enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cells. 

“There are many conundrums and unanswered questions in the field of medicine, and the only way to make advances is to research these questions. The ultimate goal of research is a ‘bench-to-bedside' application, so the process of medical research is quite lengthy,” Dr. O’Connor said. “Experts in their field need financial and institutional support to conduct meaningful research in a safe and systematic manner. Patients are dependent upon research, so funding this process is critical.”

Children’s Health is a recognized leader in pioneering pediatric health care. Since 1961, Children’s Health has been the primary pediatric clinical partner for UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s leading medical education and research institutions.

As the only academically affiliated pediatric hospital in the North Texas region, Children’s Health offers unparalleled access to the latest groundbreaking research, clinical trials and academic expertise. Together, Children’s Health and UT Southwestern are developing the next generation of therapies and techniques that will bring hope to children across the nation — and around the world.

At Children’s Health, clinical research helps scientists better understand diseases; chronic conditions and injuries; and can lead to the development of new medicines, treatments or approaches to caring for patients. 

Philanthropy fuels new areas of research not presently funded by external entities; supports important, life-saving studies that are nationally and locally underfunded; and provides pilot funding that helps researchers successfully apply for larger, future grants such as from the National Institute for Health.

“At Hyundai Hope On Wheels, we believe there is nothing more important than helping children who are fighting cancer and funding research that moves us closer to a cure,” said John Guastaferro, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Executive Director. “That is why Hyundai Hope On Wheels is so dedicated to this life saving cause. And that is why we are proud to support the work of Children’s Health.”