Colleagues and Friends,
Calendar year 2021 is coming to an end – and what a year it’s been. Remember when we all couldn’t wait to turn the calendar to 2021? Like 2020, 2021 has presented its own set of transitions and uncertainties.
My ASTCT community and the achievements of science give me so many reasons to believe in a brighter future ahead. We have a common and clear purpose. Even in times of uncertainty, we have never wavered.
To start, we held our premier 2021 annual event, the Tandem Meetings of ASTCT™ and CIBMTR ®, online rather than in person. Although we all would have preferred to gather in person (who doesn’t appreciate those between-session conversations with colleagues?), we made the most of it and held a successful, educational, engaging event. That didn’t just happen. It was successful because each and every one of you made it so.
That makes me even more hopeful that our 2022 Tandem Meetings, held February 4-6, 2022, in Salt Lake City, Utah, will be an even bigger success. If our community could learn so much from one another virtually, imagine what we can accomplish when we gather together in person for the first time in two years! (If you haven’t already, make sure you register by December 14 to save $200.)
Our membership trends have also given me reason to believe that 2022 will be great. In November, we achieved a major milestone for our community when we reached 3,000 members, thanks in part to so many of you sharing the value of ASTCT membership with your peers. Our community has only gotten larger and stronger, and I believe we’ll continue to grow in 2022.
If you’re considering ways of giving back this holiday season, please consider donating to our ASTCT Giving Campaign. This campaign is dedicated to promoting research, education and training in the field of transplantation and cellular therapy. Every gift plays a critical role in improving patient outcomes and fostering the professional development of our members. This is a great way to give back to the community that has meant so much to all of us, both professionally and personally.
Finally, I’d like to thank each and every one of our ASTCT volunteers. Whether you served on a committee, SIG or the board, your time, ideas and dedication are a big reason why our future is so bright.
This is a special time of year for many of us all over the world – a time to reflect, give thanks, celebrate new beginnings. In all of these ways, you give me reason to believe in a brighter 2022.
Stella Davies, MBBS, PhD
Tags: astct, President, Community, giving campaign, president message, December, tandem meetings, donating, giving, volunteers, reflect, thanks, 2022