The Colombian Association of Hematology and Oncology (ACHO) Launches the “Avance Hematológico” Journalism Award

The contest will recognize excellence, scientific rigor, and the social impact of journalistic work focused on blood disorders in Colombia.

The call for entries will remain open until October 4, 2026, and will offer financial incentives as well as academic recognition.

With the goal of driving informative excellence, educating the public, and highlighting the advances and human impact of blood diseases in the country, the Colombian Association of Hematology and Oncology (ACHO) officially presents the first edition of the Journalism Award: Avance Hematológico.

This initiative stems from a comprehensive training and media relations strategy, aiming to honor investigative pieces, reports, and stories addressing hemophilia, leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, anemia, and other hematological conditions.

The award features a Single Category (Open Category), accessible to journalists, communicators, and media creators from print, digital, radio, television, and podcast platforms at both regional and national levels. Works published or broadcast within Colombia over the past year are eligible to participate.

“At ACHO, we understand that health journalism plays a crucial educational and social role. Reporting with rigor, empathy, and scientific accuracy not only helps break down barriers to care, but also saves lives by promoting timely diagnoses. Through this award, we want to recognize the dedication of journalists who translate complex medical information into stories with human sensitivity and meaningful social impact,” emphasized Dr. Claudia Sossa, President of ACHO.

Evaluation criteria and process

The evaluation of the journalistic entries will be conducted by a multidisciplinary panel composed of Professor Adriana Patricia Guzmán, faculty member at the School of Communication of Universidad de La Sabana, alongside two specialist hematologists appointed by ACHO’s academic board.

Entries will be evaluated based on standards of scientific rigor, narrative quality, originality, and social and educational impact.

Incentives for winners

The competition will reward the top submissions with financial incentives of up to $6,000,000 COP for first place, along with institutional awards and media coverage opportunities at academic events across the sector.

Timeline for the call for entries:

• Applications open: August 2026
• Applications close: October 4, 2026
• Judging period: October 20 to November 6, 2026
• Award ceremony: November 13, 2026 (held during the ACHO National Meeting)

The full regulations and requirements can be reviewed in detail on the official website: www.acho.com.co

How to apply?

Interested journalists and communicators can review the full terms, official guidelines, and submit their work by completing the online form at the following link: Sign-ups can be completed here.