dbeard@dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN – Patients, their families and staff of WVU Medicine Children’s gathered in front of the hospital Tuesday afternoon to celebrate a $100,000 donation from Hyundai Hope on Wheels to support pediatric cancer research there.
Larkin Coker, a sophomore at Morgantown High School and cancer survivor, told her story and made clear why the donation was important.
In 2015, at age 6, she said, she started to get sick, and learned she had developed cancer that ate at her bones, and had tumors in her lungs. She started treatment at WVU Medicine, and May 2026 will mark 10 years of winning her battle. She’s about to get her driver’s license.
“To have the state-of-the-art hospital right here in Morgantown and to have some of the best doctors and nurses that you can have is such a blessing for kids like me,” she said. And organizations like Hope on Wheels help make the difference for patients.
“Thank you for caring about us,” she said. “Thank you for caring about our hospital. It makes all the difference. I’m very grateful.”
Hyundai dealers began Hope on Wheels in 1998 in New England and the organization has expanded across the nation. This year marks $227million in donations to cancer research, said Phan Tran, Hyundai regional merchandising manager.
Hope on Wheels is the single largest pediatric cancer donor in the country, he said. Dealers donate a portion of every car sale, which Hyundai matches. This year, Hope on Wheels has expanded to Canada and Mexico and will be in more countries next year.
While cancer research has seen significant funding cuts, he said, “What I can promise everyone here is Hyundai is going to stand with you, continue to support research, continue to support the standard of life, support and provide hope to the children and their families.”
Tuesday’s event featured a white Hyundai Santa Fe SUV covered with hand prints of pediatric cancer patients. And children attending on Tuesday got to add prints of their own to the car.
This was Hyundai’s second donation to WVUMC. Amy Bush, chief administrative officer of WVUMC, said last year’s Santa Fe sold almost as soon as it returned to the dealership, and the buyer didn’t want it altered – in order to get the message out.
WVUMC’s pediatric cancer program is the largest in West Virginia, she said. “It’s not just about the treatment. Our team brings comfort and joy so kids can stay kids during these really difficult times.” And local care helps families and their kids stay close to home.
“A special thank you to partners like Hyundai,” she said. “Because of you, we can offer the latest treatments, the latest technology, the latest trials and, most importantly, hope.”
Dr. Patrick Tomboc, division chief of pediatric hematology and oncology at WVUMC, said, “This is so important to us. Our team is the reason that we’re able to do what we do. It’s the people that help take care of these kids that makes the biggest difference.”
A child’s battle against cancer is a long and arduous journey, he said. This is WVUMC’s third year in its new building, “We have gotten to a place where we can treat every pediatric cancer that comes to us. … Donations like this drive the quality of life of our patients.”
