ASH Announces Recipients of 2025 ASH Advocacy Awards
Leaders honored for their work in enhancing patient care and supporting research
(WASHINGTON – Nov. 25, 2025) — The American Society of Hematology (ASH) will honor U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), as well as the patient groups Sick Cells, The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA), and The Sickle Cell Disease Consortium for their leadership on issues of importance to hematology research and practice at the 67th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition held in Orlando, Florida, and virtually from December 6 – 9, 2025.
“It is a great pleasure to recognize the critical contributions that these individuals and groups have made to improve care for individuals living with blood disorders,” said Belinda R. Avalos, MD, ASH president. “Their commitment to advancing research and education continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients worldwide and their families.”
Sens. Collins, Murray, Capito, and Baldwin are the recipients of the 2025 ASH Public Service Award, which recognizes unparalleled leadership by elected public officials on issues affecting hematology practice. Sens. Collins and Murray serve as chair and ranking member, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, while Sens. Capito and Baldwin serve as chair and ranking member, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS).
During a time when Congress has been unable to accomplish much in a bipartisan manner, the Senate Appropriations Committee in July cleared its fiscal year (FY) 2026 LHHS spending bill by a vote of 26-3. Although the Trump Administration had proposed cutting research funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by nearly 40%, the committee recommended providing the agency with $48.7 billion in FY 2026, representing a $400 million increase over FY 2025 to keep life-saving research moving forward.
This success can be attributed in part to the leadership of Sens. Collins, Murray, Capito, and Baldwin, who have championed and highlighted the vital impact of NIH-funded research in developing cutting-edge therapies across medicine, and showcased the critical role this funding plays in supporting jobs and economic activity in communities across the nation.
Sick Cells, the SCDAA, and the Sickle Cell Disease Consortium are the recipients of the 2025 ASH Outstanding Service Award, which recognizes individuals or organizations in the public or private sector who have displayed effective behind-the-scenes leadership in areas relevant to the mission of the Society.
These three organizations have supported ASH’s advocacy efforts for individuals living with sickle cell disease, including support for the Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act. Each organization has partnered with ASH to host multiple congressional briefings on Capitol Hill, engaged patient advocates to attend numerous congressional meetings, and provided feedback on ASH’s policy priorities and proposals.
Advocacy has been a key component of ASH’s Sickle Cell Disease Initiative since its inception a decade ago; the initiative now falls under the portfolio of the recently established ASH Center for Sickle Cell Disease Initiatives. ASH’s advocacy in support of individuals living with sickle cell disease has been successful in large part due to the engagement, active involvement, and collaboration with patient groups like these.
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. Since 1958, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. Join the #Fight4Hematology by visiting hematology.org/fight4hematology.
The Blood journals (https://ashpublications.org/journals) are the premier source for basic, translational, and clinical hematologic research. The Blood journals publish more peer-reviewed hematology research than any other academic journals worldwide.
Contact:
Claire Whetzel, 202-629-5085
cwhetzel@hematology.org