Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard was at the BC Children’s Hospital in his home town of Vancouver to support the fight against childhood cancer.

The hockey player, a Hyundai brand ambassador, assisted Hyundai Hope on Wheels make a pair of donations in support of that fight. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a charitable arm of Hyundai Canada.

Hyundai Canada and its dealers donated $100,000 to the hospital.

Additionally, through its partnership with the C17 Council, a national network of pediatric hematology, oncology and cell therapy programs, the automaker and its dealers donated $250,000 to support the research of Dr. Poul Sorensen.

Sorensen is a theme lead and scientist at the BC Cancer Research Centre, a professor in the department of pathology at the University of British Columbia and the Johal chair in childhood cancer research.

He is leading research on metastasis, the process by which cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

At the handprint ceremony celebrating the donations, Bedard got to meet some young people who have been treated at the hospital, including twins nicknamed “Twincredible,” who are now the hospital’s patient ambassadors.

Weston Openshaw was two years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and his twin brother, Bennett, received a similar diagnosis four months later.

They were the first twins to receive care at the same time from the oncology team at the BC Children’s Hospital.

Today, aged seven, the boys are cancer free.

“We are the lucky ones. We got to walk out of this with our kids, but we watched too many of their friends lose their lives fighting this disease,” their mom, Alisha Openshaw, said in a news release.

“Today, 80 per cent of kids with cancer overcome their disease, but that still means 20 per cent don’t. My boys are making friends, enjoying activities and have found the normalcy we so longed for during treatment. But we still need better – more funding, more research to improve outcomes for our kids, and for every child after them.”

Patient handprints go on car

Hyundai Hope on Wheels donation celebrations include a handprint ceremony, which invites young people who have or have had cancer to place their handprint on the charity’s vehicle.

“It is a special opportunity to get to spend this time with these brave kids, their families and support systems,” Bedard said in the release. “The strength, positivity and courage in everyone is truly inspiring. I’m very proud to support Hyundai Hope on Wheels, and the critical research and care that gives families hope when they need it most.”

A portion of every Hyundai sale goes toward Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ efforts to support pediatric cancer car and research.

The organization has committed to donate more than $4.1 million this year.

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