Dear Colleagues,
As perfusionists, we share a deep commitment to excellence, innovation, and patient safety. Every day, we balance life in our hands — and we do it with a dedication that extends far beyond the operating room. It is this same commitment that drives me to reach out to you today.
Each year, the American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion (AACP) strives to bring students from accredited perfusion programs across the country to our Annual Meeting. For many of these students, attending the meeting is a defining moment in their education: it is where they first participate in case discussions, hear from leaders in the field, build professional connections, and begin to understand the broader community they are about to join.
Unfortunately, the cost of membership, registration, and travel has become a barrier for many students — especially those coming from programs with limited financial support. Some students work multiple jobs while in school, some carry heavy loan burdens, while some are the first in their families to enter the medical field. But all of them share the same goal: to become safe, skilled, compassionate perfusionists who will one day stand beside us in the OR.
This year, we are asking the perfusion community to come together and help us remove these barriers.
A donation of any amount directly supports student attendance at the AACP Annual Meeting in February. Every dollar goes toward registration fees, membership support, and conference participation. Your contribution ensures that students can learn, grow, and become active members of the profession we all care so deeply about.
If you have ever benefitted from a mentor, attended a meeting that changed your perspective, or relied on the support of colleagues early in your career, then you know how much this opportunity can mean. We have all been that student once.
Your generosity today becomes the strength of our profession tomorrow.
Thank you for considering a donation and for helping us shape the next generation of perfusionists. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how your support can make an impact, please feel free to reach out.
With appreciation,
Allyson Aquino, RN, CCP, LP, FPP
American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion
Student Liaison Committee Chairperson