120 Years Transforming Public Health with The American Lung Association
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The American Lung Association is celebrating 120 years of promoting lung health, showcasing how the organization has enhanced public health and transformed lives across America. On June 6, 1904, Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau, a young doctor, founded the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis, which eventually became the American Lung Association.
“The Lung Association pioneered a groundbreaking model of education, advocacy and research to address critical public health and lung health issues. I am proud to be a part of an organization that has saved countless lives over the years,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “On our 120th birthday, it is critical to reflect on the mark we have made on the world, but also to acknowledge what else needs to be done to end the burden of lung disease, and work to address increasing threats to lung health like vaping, climate change, new respiratory viruses and more.”
Since its founding, the American Lung Association has achieved significant milestones in public health. Here are six ways the organization has transformed lives over the past 120 years:
- Ending the Devastation of Tuberculosis: At its inception, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in the U.S. and the most feared disease globally. The Lung Association played a crucial role in developing and funding effective prevention, detection, and treatment methods over a challenging 50-year battle. In 1950, with research funding from the Association, Dr. Edith Lincoln discovered that isoniazid prevented the spread of infection when given to household members of TB patients.
- Saving Premature Babies: In 1959, Dr. Mary Ellen Avery, a Lung Association grantee, discovered that babies with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) lacked the fatty substance surfactant in their lungs. This breakthrough led to treatments that have saved over 800,000 babies’ lives in the subsequent 50 years, with many more saved since then.
- Supporting the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Lung Cancer: On January 11, 1964, the American Lung Association supported U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Luther Terry as he released the first Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health. This report officially linked smoking cigarettes to lung cancer and chronic bronchitis in men, initiating a nationwide effort to reduce smoking in the U.S.
- Launching Asthma and COPD Clinical Research: In 2000, the Lung Association launched the Asthma Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) network to conduct patient-centered asthma research. This later expanded to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and was renamed the Airways Clinical Research Centers. Now the nation’s largest not-for-profit network of clinical research centers dedicated to asthma and COPD, the ACRC network has produced over 100 critical research publications in the last 24 years.
- Creating an Initiative to End Lung Cancer: In 2014, the Lung Association launched LUNG FORCE, one of the first initiatives dedicated to ending lung cancer. Since then, LUNG FORCE has raised over $30 million for lifesaving lung cancer research, increased the lung cancer survival rate by 52%, and helped more than one million people determine their eligibility for lung cancer screening.
- Taking Action During the COVID-19 Pandemic: In early 2020, the Lung Association launched the COVID-19 Action Initiative to combat COVID-19 and defend against future respiratory virus pandemics. This initiative played a key role in promoting health measures and vaccination efforts across the U.S.
These achievements are just a few highlights of the Lung Association’s impact on public health. The new historical timeline showcases the progress made over the past 120 years and celebrates the organization’s significant contributions. Today, the Lung Association focuses on four strategic imperatives: defeating lung cancer, creating a tobacco-free future, championing clean air for all, and improving the quality of life for those living with lung disease.
When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters®. Join the American Lung Association in their journey to champion lung health and celebrate 120 years of impact.
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