Five leaders and organizations will be recognized at the 16th Annual Spirit of the Heart Awards Program & Fundraiser, Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For 16 years, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) has used its Spirit of the Heart celebration to answer a question that matters more than any statistic: who is actually changing outcomes for the patients who need it most? This year's five honorees answer it in five separate ways.

"The contributions of the honorees demonstrate that advancing heart health requires more than scientific discovery alone," said Icilma Fergus, MD, Awards Program Co-Chair and ABC Board Chair. "It requires leaders who teach and mentor, organizations that bring research closer to the communities it is meant to serve, and partners willing to invest in better health outcomes. These honorees reflect the many ways meaningful change happens in cardiovascular health. ABC is proud to recognize these remarkable individuals and organizations and the lasting impact of their work."

The 16th Annual Spirit of the Heart Awards Program & Fundraiser will take place Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Additional event details and ticket information are available at abcardioevents.org.

Celebrating the 2026 Spirit of the Heart Honorees

Distinguished Leadership Award
Anekwe E. Onwuanyi, MD, and Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley, MD, MPH

ABC's Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose careers reflect exceptional achievement in cardiology through teaching, mentorship, research, and administrative leadership.

Dr. Anekwe E. Onwuanyi, Chief of Cardiology at Morehouse School of Medicine, has distinguished himself through clinical leadership, program development, and mentorship, including establishing a comprehensive heart failure program within a public hospital setting and helping build the Morehouse School of Medicine Cardiology Fellowship Program. As ABC President from 2022 to 2024, he also helped expand the Association's reach through the creation of the Heart Failure and Global Health Committees.

Dr. Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley, an Earl Stadtman Investigator and Chief of the Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, has built an influential body of work — more than 90 peer-reviewed publications and over 13,000 scholarly citations — examining the connections among social determinants of health, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Her mentorship of more than fifty research fellows has helped translate that discovery into public health impact in the communities most affected by it.

Dr. Walter M. Booker Sr. Health Promotion Award
Georgia Arrhythmia Consultants & Research Institute (GACRI)

Named in honor of Dr. Walter M. Booker Sr., one of ABC's 18 founding members and a pioneer in the field, the Dr. Walter M. Booker Sr. Health Promotion Award recognizes organizations whose leadership, innovation and commitment to health promotion have created meaningful, lasting change in the communities they serve.

Georgia Arrhythmia Consultants & Research Institute (GACRI) brings that same spirit directly to Middle Georgia. Through the Georgia Arrhythmia Foundation, founded by GACRI physicians Dr. Felix Sogade and Dr. Joseph Poku, the organization has built a sustained grassroots effort to reduce death and disability from sudden cardiac arrest, anchored by its annual SCARE (Sudden Cardiac Arrest Research and Education) 5K. For 16 years, GACRI has also supported public education, CPR and AED training, and AED placement in schools, youth sports organizations and public spaces — work that extends internationally through the Africa Heart Rhythm Association, which the founders also established to strengthen electrophysiology education and clinical capacity across Africa.

Health Equity Award
Flourish Research

The Health Equity Award recognizes individuals and organizations that develop meaningful solutions to improve health outcomes and expand access to healthcare resources for populations most affected by health disparities.

Flourish Research is honored for strengthening clinical research by expanding opportunities within the communities where patients already live and receive care — placing diverse investigators and research opportunities closer to trusted healthcare providers rather than recruiting patients into unfamiliar settings. Across more than two dozen sites nationwide, 52% of Flourish's patient database and 62% of its employees self-identify as belonging to underrepresented communities, and its Boca Raton site has achieved a 97% retention rate in complex, long-term cardiovascular outcomes trials. Flourish sites have also contributed to major research milestones, including enrolling the first patient globally in a landmark cardiovascular outcomes trial spanning 388 sites in forty-two countries.

Spirit of the Heart Award
Merck

One of ABC's highest honors, the Spirit of the Heart Award, recognizes organizations whose excellence in cardiovascular health, community engagement, leadership, advocacy, and innovation has made a lasting impact on patients and communities alike.

Merck's recognition reflects a partnership with ABC spanning more than four decades, built on a shared investment in scientific advancement, education, and community engagement. From its cardiovascular research legacy to its support for emerging investigators through the ACC/ABC/Merck Research Fellowship Award, Merck has backed both the science and the people advancing cardiovascular medicine. That partnership continues today through Merck for Mothers, which supports ABC's maternal cardiovascular health work in communities with significant unmet need.

More Than a Night of Recognition

The Spirit of the Heart Awards Program & Fundraiser is more than an evening of celebration — it directly funds ABC's ongoing work in cardiovascular education, research, advocacy, community outreach, and prevention. In the coming weeks, ABC will also announce this year's recipients of its medical student scholarships and EP Fellowship Support Awards, continuing its investment in the next generation of cardiovascular professionals. Together, this year's honorees and awardees embody the spirit of ABC's 2026 theme, "Honoring Our Legacy, Shaping the Future of Health."

"Spirit of the Heart reminds us that progress is built by people who are willing to lead, teach, innovate and serve," said Barbara A. Hutchinson, MD, PhD, Awards Program Co-Chair and Past ABC Board Chair. "We are honored to celebrate this year's recipients and grateful for the opportunity to bring our members, partners, supporters and friends together around the day-to-day work of making every heart count."

About the Association of Black Cardiologists

Founded on the belief that every heart counts, ABC is dedicated to promoting the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity for all through the elimination of disparities. Membership is open to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, or vocation. Through education, advocacy, research, patient and community outreach, and leadership development, ABC works to improve cardiovascular health and expand access to exemplary care for all communities. For more information, visit www.abcardio.org.

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SOURCE Association of Black Cardiologists