Michael Sapienza, Chief Executive Officer of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Asal Sayas, a force for good who spent her final months combatting not only her own stage IV colorectal cancer, but battling for every patient who would come after her.
Asal joined the Colorectal Cancer Alliance in January 2025 knowing exactly what she was up against. She chose to spend that time demanding progress, securing federal research funding, and speaking the truth about this disease with the kind of unflinching clarity that only she could.
She was equal parts fierce and brilliant, deeply compassionate and driven by a global sense of justice.
Before joining us, Asal served as a Senior Advisor for Infectious Disease and Cancer at the White House under President Biden, contributing to the Cancer Moonshot initiative alongside Danielle Carnival. She directed government affairs at amfAR, and advised Senator Amy Klobuchar‘s presidential campaign after years on Capitol Hill.
She is mourned and celebrated by former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Edward Markey, Susan Blumenthal the physicians and colleagues whose lives she changed — including her oncologist Timothy Cannon and oncologist Aparna Parikh, who are quoted in the statement below.
Colorectal cancer is the deadliest cancer in patients under 50. Asal knew that. She lived it. And she gave everything she had to change it.
We dedicate our work to her and to all the patients who deserve better.
Read the full statement and learn how to continue Asal’s work: here.”
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