Dell Children's receives $250K grant

AUSTIN (KXAN) - It's National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Hyundai Hope on Wheels is giving back.

Dealerships around Austin are giving Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas a grant in the amount of $250,000 to go towards pediatric cancer research.

In total, Hyundai Hope on Wheels will be donating  $10.25 million to support other cancer research centers nationwide.

The donation touched the heart of Michelle Mirsky, whose young son was in Dell Children's care before he died from heart disease and cancer.

"I've lived it and I understand how important it is to get that support," she said.

Mirsky worked as Dell Children's family liaison. She took the job while spending every day there with her son, Lev, which means heart in Hebrew and lion in Russian.

"We named him for his condition," Mirsky said.

Lev lost his battle with heart disease and cancer in 2010, but his mom learned a lot in the process.

"Something like this grant that really says we're intentionally following your emotional needs, your mental health needs, your school -- all of those needs -- is something that we really have been missing and it's going to be so incredibly valuable to the families," she said.

In Austin, the grant will support the work of Dr. Amy C. Fowler, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist, and allow her to focus on behavioral health effects that happen after a child has gone through cancer treatments.

Fowler will work closely with the Texas Child Study Center and the University of Texas at Austin and will carry out their research in an Embedded Behavioral Health Clinic. The clinic will be located inside the Children's Blood and Cancer center at Dell Children's.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is comprised of more than 800 dealers across the U.S.  Their mission is to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to celebrate the lives of children who are battling the disease.

Since it started 14 years ago, Hope On Wheels has donated more than $45 million to pediatric cancer research centers nation wide.

More information on Hyundai's Hope On Wheels can be found on the agency's website .