Hope on Wheels fundraises for childhood cancer research

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hope on Wheels, a program that is raising money to help fund research for childhood cancer, got a $50,000 dollar boost Thursday.

"This money is going to help us both continue giving them the excellent standard of care that we've grown accustomed to and also increase our ability to do research on this amazing population," said Dr. Jennifer Reicheck, Lurie Children's Hospital.

The money helps kids just like Matthew Erickson, a 3-year-old that has already lived through five brain surgeries. This summer will mark three years of being out of treatment.

"I look at him every day and I just can't imagine life without him for us, for his brother, his sister, I can't even thank this hospital and our doctor enough for giving us my son and letting us know there is always hope," said Sue Erickson, Matthew's mother.

It's funding like this that helps programs and research continue. This check will help hire another staff member at Lurie Children's Hospital.

"This will actually fund a position for a registered nurse to help us do some of the routine lab ordering and things like that," Reicheck said.