Posted at: 09/21/2012 6:39 PM
By: Katie Eldred

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Hyundai donated $250,00 to Mayo Clinic for Child Cancer Research.

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Every 36 minutes in the United States a child is diagnosed with cancer. Yet only 3 percent of federal cancer funds are allocated for childhood cancer.

Friday Mayo Clinic received a generous gift to help them find a cure for the most common form of childhood cancer.

Jacob Newkirk just wants to be able to be a normal kid, but instead.

“I have to be strapped to the wires and stuff."

And Jacob is not alone, each year at Mayo Clinic there are more than 100 kids that are diagnosed with cancer.

The Becker’s 6 year old daughter was diagnosed just 2 weeks ago.

"It's kind of amazing how 2 weeks ago we were sitting watching football, and you never expect to hear anything like that," said Eric Becker.

But funding for childhood cancer research is not as easy to come by. That is why Mayo Clinic's Dr. Galardy was more than happy to accept a $250,000 dollar check from Hyundai Hope on Wheels.

"There are many projects that are not being funded through the normal mechanisms like the feds," said Dr. Paul Galardy.

Dr. Galardy plans to use the funds to continue his research on non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

"Really what we want to do is provide every child with the opportunity to grow up a normal healthy lifestyle and not have the challenge of being struck with cancer," said Hyundai’s Brian O'Malley.

This is just one of Hyundai's checks, they will hand out 40 grants in all to help fund childhood cancer research.

"It helps, it just shows that people, Hyundai, and Mayo are doing everything they can to cure kids of this," said Eric Becker.

So kids like Jacob can do the one thing they've been dreaming of.

"Go Home," said Jacob.

Hyundai “Hope on Wheels” also made a stop in Minneapolis Friday. The University of Minnesota also received a grant. In all the program will donate more than 13 million dollars to childhood cancer research.