Two members of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center will be awarded grants totaling $500,000 as part of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month for September.

Christine Pratilas, M.D., an assistant professor of oncology and pediatrics, and Cara Rabik, M.D., Ph.D., an instructor of oncology and pediatrics, are recipients of the Hyundai Hope Scholar and Young Investigator awards respectively. The awards will be presented during the Hyundai Hope on Wheels event at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center on Wednesday, September 12 at 10 a.m.

The theme of the event, “Every Handprint Tells a Story,” will showcase the bravery of kids fighting cancer, their families and the ground-breaking research of doctors fighting for a cure.

During the event, children being treated for cancer at Johns Hopkins will participate in the program’s signature handprint ceremony, where they will dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on the white Hope Vehicle.

The colorful handprints of pediatric cancer fighters represent their individual and collective hopes, dreams and journeys.  From now through the end of September, the Hope Vehicle will travel nationwide to honor kids battling cancer, raise awareness of the disease, and to inspire hope toward a cure.

Childhood cancer researchers depend largely on private funding for groundbreaking therapies to get off the ground and to advance treatment approaches to the next phase of testing, ultimately, bringing better therapies and cures to kids with cancer.  With this latest award, Johns Hopkins has received more than $2 million in grants from Hope On Wheels, contributing to the organization’s $145 million in the organization’s total lifetime giving.

Interested media will have the opportunity to talk with Johns Hopkins representatives and Hope on Wheels ambassadors. The handprint event will be held outside of the main entrance to the Children’s Center.