ACHA Adds Five New Members to its Medical Advisory Board
The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) has announced the newest additions to the organization’s Medical Advisory Board (MAB), joining dozens of other medical providers specializing in the field of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) care. ACHA MAB members play a crucial role in offering expert opinions on research and medical developments in ACHD and the needs of the nearly 2 million adults with CHD in the United States to assure that organizational policies meet the highest standards of scientific need and accuracy.
2021 ACHA Volunteer Award Winners
For the second year in a row, we are proud to announce the ACHA annual award recipients! Nominees in the following four categories were submitted by ACHA staff and board members: Fundraiser of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Influencer of the Year, and Organizational Partner of the Year. Once all nominees were submitted, the ACHA Emeritus Board reviewed the nominations and chose the winner for each category.
ACHA ACHD Accreditation Year-End Update
As 2021 winds down, we reflect back on the accomplishments of the ACHA ACHD Accreditation Program this year. Despite the pandemic, ACHA has continued to move programs forward in the process through virtual site visits and providing valuable feedback to further enhance patient care. We are thrilled to report there are currently 44 programs caring for more than 77,000 patients in a total of 27 states and counting.
ACHA’s Role in an ACHD Milestone: Board Certification
Due to successes in treating congenital heart disease (CHD) in childhood, more children with CHD are surviving to adulthood—resulting in more adults with CHD than children in the United States. The number of adults with CHD continues to grow every year.
From its inception more than 20 years ago, the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) knew our members struggled to find appropriate cardiology care. In 2001, ACHA first endorsed the creation of specialized adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) training.
A Tribute to Dr. Gary Webb, Longtime ACHA Supporter and ACHD Pioneer
We mourn the recent loss of Gary D. Webb, MD, an internationally recognized leader in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), and avid ACHA supporter and champion for the patient voice. Dr. Webb provided leadership and advice for more than two decades as a valued member of both the ACHA Medical Advisory Board and ACHA Emeritus Medical Advisory Board.
Board of Directors Recruitment Period Opens
The Adult Congenital Heart Association is currently recruiting highly-qualified candidates to serve on the ACHA Board of Directors (BOD). To learn more about the roles, responsibilities and qualifications for our BOD, please click here.
Volunteer Spotlight: Ted Wagner
A Q&A with the Captain of TEAM BEN HEART WARRIORS and Southern California Walk for 1 in 100 Supporter
Returning to Your College Campus During COVID-19
Colleges and universities are getting ready to have students back on campus for Fall 2021. Some are requiring that all students be vaccinated with one of the COVID-19 vaccines—Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson—before returning to campus. To see if your school is on that list, click here.
Others are recommending, but not requiring, that students get fully vaccinated before the fall semester starts. Most campuses will have a mixture of students who are fully vaccinated and those who are not.
ACHA Announces 4 New Research Awards
ACHA has committed $300,000 to 10 grants in our emerging research program since the program launched just two years ago.
As the only national patient advocacy organization specifically funding adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) research only, ACHA aims to partner with specialized medical professionals to improve patient outcomes for current and future generations of ACHD patients.
ACHA Debuts New Website, Mission, and More
We are thrilled to share our updated website today, which has been refreshed with usability and simplicity in mind for our supporters and the greater congenital heart disease (CHD) community. We know that people across the country are accessing our website for a wealth of information, but especially in some key areas—such as defect-specific educational resources and the ACHD Clinic Directory. With that in mind, we have made these areas and other priority program content the core of our homepage, and easily accessible with fewer clicks.