NNHF Community Award 2022: Recognising an inspirational leader and patient advocate in Honduras

NNHF Community Award 2022: Recognising an inspirational leader and patient advocate in Honduras

NNHF Community Award 2022: Recognising an inspirational leader and patient advocate in Honduras

Maria del Carmen Agurcia made a major impact on improving haemophilia care in Honduras

The recipient of the Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation (NNHF) Community Award 2022 is Maria del Carmen Agurcia, President of the Honduran Haemophilia Society (Sociedad Hondureña de Hemofilia – SHH) from 2000 to 2013. She played a key role in strengthening this organisation on a national scale as well as implementing the first project supported by NNHF in the country, which was selected as the NNHF Project of the Year in 2012. She is widely recognised in Honduras and neighbouring countries for her achievements and continues to serve as a resource and an inspiration to the current leaders of the SHH.

Maria del Carmen Agurcia is the recipient of the NNHF Community Award 2022.
©Nahún Rodriguez/Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation/Fairpicture


Maria del Carmen is the mother of a son born 34 years ago with severe haemophilia A. While she was able to afford private treatment for her son, she recognised that many other families were not so fortunate. Consequently, she joined the SHH and rose to a leadership position.  

Among her most significant achievements at the SHH was building strong relationships with the haemophilia community, healthcare professionals and national health authorities. Her untiring efforts on behalf of people with haemophilia resulted in the inclusion of haemophilia treatment on the Honduran Ministry of Health’s essential medicines list.

At a ceremony on 4 September 2022 in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, Maria del Carmen was presented with the NNHF Community Award 2022 by Stephan Destraz Morgan, Senior Programme Manager at the NNHF. / ©Nahún Rodriguez/Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation/Fairpicture

“I am very honoured to have received the NNHF Community Award 2022. I am grateful to the Honduran haemophilia community, which nominated me for this prize, and to the NNHF Council for this international recognition. I am determined to continue serving the haemophilia community and improving the lives of people with haemophilia in my country.”

Established in 2010, the annual NNHF Community Award recognises an individual or group demonstrating exceptional engagement, dedication and lasting impact on behalf of the community of haemophilia and allied bleeding disorders.

More on the NNHF awards here.