Cooley’s Anemia Foundation Recognized as Thalassemia Society of Excellence
September 17, 2013 – The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (CAF) is proud to announce that it has been selected to receive the prestigious Sultan Bin Khalifa International Award for Thalassaemia Society of Excellence.
His Highness Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates has named CAF to receive this first Thalassemia Society of Excellence Award at the Thalassaemia International Federation 13th World Congress on Thalassemia and the Haemoglobinopathies and 15th TIF International Conference for Patients and Parents, Abu Dhabi, October 20-23, 2013.
The award includes a $20,000 grant to the New York-based foundation.
“The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation is deeply honored to be the first recipient of the Sultan’s award,” said Tony Viola, President, CAF. “The Foundation has for almost 60 years been the leading voice for the thalassemia community in the United States. Our founders had one purpose in mind: to ensure that all children born with this terrible disorder receive the best care possible to live longer, fuller lives.”
Speaking of the Sultan’s award, Gina Cioffi, Esq., National Executive Director, said, “This amazing honor recognizes the accomplishments of our foundation which is a mighty, persistent and hopeful crowd of donors, collaborators, contributors, colleagues and, most of all, the patients and family members in the U.S. thalassemia community. This official acknowledgement as world class patient advocates marks one of the true high points in our history.”
“We thank Sultan Bin Khalifa and the Awards committee for this remarkable accolade and congratulate award recipients from other categories across the globe. We are all truly united and determined to cure thalassemia and improve the patient quality of life,” Cioffi said.
The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation is the only national U.S. organization solely dedicated to thalassemia.
“Our Foundation has tirelessly pushed for new advances and has itself funded groundbreaking research. This honor validates the efforts of all those involved with the Foundation and strengthens our resolve to push for new treatments and strategies that will ensure healthier, longer lives for our patients and, ultimately, a cure that will end thalassemia in our lifetime,” Viola added.