Boston, MA – November 2025: Hiba Siddiqui, founder and CEO of the South Asian Heart Health Initiative (SAHHI), has been honored as the Silver Winner in the “Young Woman of the Year” category at the 2025 Women Changing the World Awards Americas.

The annual awards recognize women who are driving transformative change across diverse fields including sustainability, humanitarian work, leadership, advocacy, technology, education, health, and innovation. The program celebrates those making a meaningful impact in their communities and inspiring others to follow their lead.

Siddiqui is described as “a rising visionary bridging the worlds of fashion and medicine,” according to a statement announcing the recognition. She is a biomedical researcher at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, where she investigates therapeutic resistance and tumor–immune crosstalk in bladder and prostate cancers. Alongside her scientific work, Siddiqui founded SAHHI, a nonprofit organization committed to advancing cardiovascular health literacy through culturally tailored, community-based education initiatives.

“Over time, her advocacy has evolved to merge medicine and artistic storytelling, using creative platforms to redefine how health narratives are told and who gets to tell them,” the statement added. Siddiqui began coordinating fashion advocacy events with Connecting Pieces, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about gastrointestinal disorders, showcasing individuals with chronic illnesses and disabilities through adaptive fashion and performance.

She later joined Massachusetts Fashion Week as Operations and Marketing Coordinator, where she expanded her efforts in inclusive representation and creative education. Most recently, she coordinated the Boston Fashion Awards 2025, the city’s largest fashion event, and continues to develop collaborations that connect health experts and patients to promote awareness and education through creative expression.

“This work is so important because health disparities cannot be solved by science alone,” said Siddiqui in the statement. “True change happens when we meet communities where they are, whether that be culturally, linguistically, or creatively, to make healthcare education empowering and accessible.”

Reflecting on the award, Siddiqui said, “Winning this award is deeply meaningful because it celebrates science and the stories behind change. To me, it symbolizes that bridging disciplines like medicine and creative advocacy is powerful, and that impact can take many forms.”

She credited her success to the “constant love and belief” of her family, parents, siblings, and close friends, noting that their support has sustained her through every challenge. “They raised me to see possibility in people and to put my overflowing passion for humanity and creativity to work. Their encouragement has been my foundation, helping me flourish as a person who values connection and trust in God above all,” she said.

Siddiqui also expressed gratitude to the mentors who have shaped her journey. “I am equally grateful to the brilliant women who have shared their mentorship and expertise with me: Marlena Garcia, Maegan Michelle, and Keyla Caba, among many others.” Their “courage, creativity, and leadership,” she said, continue to inspire her to push boundaries and rethink what advocacy can achieve. “This award is a reflection of all the people who have poured into my journey.”

Offering advice to others aspiring to create change, she said: “Start small. Change begins in conversations before it ever reaches a stage or a lab bench. Find your support system and trust yourself.”

In the past year, Siddiqui has expanded SAHHI’s national programming, led interdisciplinary initiatives with Massachusetts Fashion Week and MASS AWIS, and is currently applying for MD-PhD programs for the 2026–2027 academic year. She attributes her continued growth to her family, mentors, and the diverse communities that have helped shape her purpose.

Looking to the future, Siddiqui envisions a world where scientific research, creative advocacy, and health equity intersect seamlessly. “My vision is to create a future where science informs compassionate care and human visibility,” she said.

The full list of 2025 Women Changing the World Awards Americas winners is available at https://wcwawards.com/winners-americas.

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