AIAA Winners 2025
Advocacy in Action Award 2025 Winners
Patient advocacy continues to be a powerful force for progress—amplifying voices, breaking down barriers, and sparking meaningful change. In the world of sarcoma, advocacy plays a key role in driving awareness, improving care, and supporting those impacted by this rare group of cancers. For 2025, we are once again proud to shine a spotlight on outstanding initiatives, innovative projects, and passionate advocates who are making a real difference. These winners embody the spirit of dedication and impact, and we celebrate their contributions to the sarcoma community.
1st Place - 2000 €
ASARGA, Spain - Sarcoma: Bringing the Invisible into Focus
This advocacy campaign tackled systemic inequities in sarcoma care across Spain. Through nationwide political engagement, ASARGA pushed for early diagnosis, expert referrals, and equitable access to treatment. The campaign led to a non-legislative proposal being unanimously approved by the Spanish Congress in 2023, the creation of a national “Manifesto against Sarcoma” with over 3,000 signatures, and multiple appearances in Spain’s Parliament and at the European Parliament in Brussels.
ASARGA’s ongoing efforts aim to transform this proposal into law by 2026, ensuring long-term impact for sarcoma patients and healthcare policy nationwide.
2nd Place - 1500 €
BCRT & Sarcoma UK, UK - The National Sarcoma Awareness Project: UK Medical Student and Resident Doctor Competition
This joint initiative empowers the next generation of medical professionals by raising sarcoma awareness among medical students and resident doctors across the UK. Through a national competition and fellowship program, participants gain firsthand exposure to sarcoma care, deepen their understanding of diagnosis and treatment, and engage with patient experiences. The project fosters early-career interest in oncology while enhancing long-term diagnostic accuracy and empathy in practice.
Fellows have since hosted educational events, joined sarcoma conferences, and contributed to future project development—making this initiative a sustainable model for improving early detection and care quality across the UK healthcare system.
3rd Place - 1000 €
Patiënten platform Sarcomen, Netherlands - Only Together: From Nothing to Treatment Protocol. Financing Research.
This patient-led initiative in the Netherlands transformed a complete lack of information and guidance on phyllodes tumors into a structured, evidence-based pathway—from awareness to national treatment guidelines. Starting in 2016, the group worked with experts, raised funds independently, and fostered international collaborations between Dutch and U.S. researchers. They successfully launched a dedicated website, funded two research publications, and contributed to the creation of official Dutch treatment guidelines for phyllodes tumors, now active as of January 2024.
The project stands as a powerful example of how patient advocacy can drive clinical change from the ground up.
The "Paola Gonzato Memory Award" 2025 Winner
Advocacy in the field of bone sarcomas requires not only passion but also strategic, impactful action. This year we introduced the "Paola Gonzato Memory Award" that honors this spirit by recognizing outstanding projects that drive meaningful change for patients and their communities. This award celebrates the dedication, innovation, and tangible results achieved by SPAGN member organizations working at a regional or national level.
In memory of Paola Gonzato and supported by the Fondazione Paola Gonzato Rete Sarcoma ETS (Italy), we are proud to announce this year’s winning project and to recognize the remarkable advocacy behind it.
Winner: BCRT, UK - Bone Cancer Awareness Week 2024 Campaign - Ever Heard of Bone Cancer?
This impactful campaign centered on public awareness and community engagement through storytelling. By empowering patients to share their experiences, the Bone Cancer Awareness Week 2024 campaign created a sense of solidarity and visibility for the bone sarcoma community. The launch of a dedicated awareness ribbon helped unify efforts and enhance public recognition. The campaign reached new audiences, attracted new support service users, and encouraged 216 individuals to complete an awareness survey, directly influencing future advocacy and care improvements.
With one patient’s story shortlisted for a Smiley Charity Film Award, the campaign’s reach continues to grow—raising critical awareness of bone cancer across the UK.