As a way of recognizing and honoring the efforts of apheresis professionals, clinicians and others who further the practice of apheresis and patient care, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is pleased to announce the 2020 Advancing Apheresis Award: Advancing access to apheresis procedures for sickle cell disease patients.

THE AWARD

The Advancing Apheresis Award is designed to support those who are making a difference in the use of therapeutic apheresis and cell collections around the globe. Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies will award USD $10,000 to one winning site chosen by an external, global committee of key opinion leaders.

CRITERIA

To ensure fairness, the award committee will have global representation from external key opinion leaders. Committee members will be selected based on their leadership roles in the practice of patient care in therapeutic apheresis. Each application will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Applicant must be managing more than 10 chronic sickle cell patients on an automated red blood cell exchange (RBCX) program.
  • Submission must focus on how the institution has advanced access to apheresis for sickle cell patients, and how the award will continue to support that work.
  • Submission must be in English.
Applicant must demonstrate:
  • Educational leadership
  • Patient care, comfort and impact
  • Local community impact
  • Plan for use of the award and the impact it will have on patients

APPLY

Applications will be accepted beginning on 15 September and must be received by 15 January 2021.

Apply now

KEY DATES

15 September 2020 Applications Accepted
15 January 2021 Application Deadline
March 2021 Award Winner Announcement

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The following terms and conditions apply for every submission:

  • The winner must complete and sign the award contract within 30 days. Failure to accept the contract will result in loss of the award, in which case the runner-up will receive the award.
  • Projects are expected to be completed within one year following the distribution of funds.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is eligible for the award? Are applicants from all countries eligible?

Healthcare organizations from around the world that are interested in advancing apheresis are encouraged to apply.


How much funding is available?

USD $10,000 will be awarded to a single site to be used in its efforts to advance peripheral venous access in apheresis procedures. As part of the application process, sites are required to outline their plans for the award and to demonstrate their leadership in patient care for consideration by the award committee.


Is this award given to an individual?

No, this award is given to a healthcare organization.

Who is on the award committee?

To ensure fairness, the committee will consist of independent key opinion leaders from around the world. Committee members will be selected based on their leadership role in the practice of patient care in therapeutic apheresis. The committee has sole decision-making authority in determining the winner and runner-up and will score applications based on predetermined criteria listed above.


Once the grant is awarded, will there be any required milestones to report to Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies?

Yes, the winning team is required to share its outcomes through a report at the completion of the project.




Past Winners of the USD $10,000 Advancing Apheresis Award:


2019

National Health Services Blood and Transplant (NHSBT); led by Kay Harding

NHSBT is using the grant to purchase an additional ultrasound device and provide an open access online vascular access training program.

2018

University Health Network Toronto, Ontario (UHN); led by Dr. David Barth

UHN is using the grant to fund teaching programs, purchase phantom arms for training and skills maintenence, develop electronic training materials, and collect, analyze and publish data about the outcomes of making peripheral ultrasound-guided venous access the standard of care.

2017

University College London Hospital (UCLH); led by Helen Keane

UCLH is sharing its successes and best practices for collecting cells for immunotherapy.

2016

Aarhus University Hospital (AUH) in Aarhus, Denmark; led by Anna-Marie Eller Thomsen

AUH is advancing the practice of venous access through education on the use of peripheral ultrasound-guided venous access.

2015

Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPIMS) in Lucknow, India; led by Dr. Rajendra Chaudhary

SGPIMS formed an online platelet donor registry for optimizing patient care by supplying ABO-matched platelets. In addition, they promoted the use of apheresis through their position at the center of the telemedicine program throughout India and Southeast Asia.

2014

Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee; led by Garrett Booth, MD, MS, Assistant Professor

Vanderbilt University Medical Center created a mobile application to educate patients, nurses, clinical providers and transfusion medicine trainees to raise the awareness and understanding of apheresis medicine.

2014

Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia; led by Anthea Greenway, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, Pediatric Hematologist

Royal Children’s Hospital used the educational grant to establish standard operating procedures for red blood cell exchange and improve educational support provided to children with sickle cell disease.


QUESTIONS? Contact us at AdvancingApheresis@terumobct.com

To learn more visit About Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies.