ASPHO's History

The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) was initiated in 1974 by those who had a commitment to pediatric hematology/oncology and initially approached the American Society of Pediatrics and the Society for Pediatric Research as sponsors. The first gatherings of those in the emerging subspecialty took place at the "Blood Club," held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the American Society of Pediatrics/Society for Pediatric Research. It was at a Blood Club meeting in 1977 that Carl Pochedly first proposed a society for pediatric hematologists/oncologists. Bill Krivit, a moving force in the early days of the Blood Club, persuaded those in attendance to look ahead and to anticipate the need for a society committed to the welfare of pediatric hematologists/oncologists and the patients and families whom they served.

The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) was incorporated in Illinois in April 1981. The first gathering of society members took place after the Blood Club's 1982 symposium. In 1987, Carl Pochedly conceived the idea for a freestanding meeting of ASPHO and that first meeting was held in Chicago in 1988.

News of the fledgling society was widely disseminated through the American Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, first published in 1979. Although closely identified with ASPHO, the journal predated ASPHO by two years. After ASPHO's incorporation, the journal's front cover identified it as "The Official Journal of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology." The name of the journal, as recommended by the publications committee, was changed in 1995 to the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology to reflect the increasingly international nature of contributors and subscribers. Today, Pediatric Blood & Cancer is the official journal of ASPHO.