On September 20th, Justine, Tristan and Camille Almada, co-founders of The Anal Cancer Foundation received the inaugural Biden Cancer Initiative FIERCE award for Exemplary Leadership. Nominated by a friend of the Foundation, they were honored for their efforts in changing the landscape for HPV and anal cancer. They were selected from amongst a pool of 700 individuals and organizations who were nominated for the cancerFierce awards.

Greg Simon, President of the Biden Cancer Initiative said: “We learned about so many brave and committed leaders devoted to helping people with cancer from the hundreds of nominations we received. It is no surprise to see so many remarkable efforts making a tremendous difference in the lives of cancer patients. It is our privilege to recognize and spotlight the individuals and organizations who epitomize what it means to be FIERCE in the face of cancer, and allow us to make hope real.”

The Almada siblings, who began the Anal Cancer Foundation after losing their mother to stage IV anal cancer, were among ten honored by the Biden Cancer Initiative. In addition, the siblings were the sole recipients of the LEAP award, which recognizes exceptional efforts that transform the way we approach cancer research and care, improve patient support and patient outcomes, and accelerate progress against cancer. The Biden Cancer Initiative recognized the Almadas for "fundamentally improving the cancer experience for patients with HPV and anal cancer by creating education, awareness, and research initiatives."

Our victories are your victories and we literally could not do this without you. Thank you so much for your incredible support of the Foundation's mission to support cancer patients and save lives.

Family on stage smiling