Member Spotlight: The American Lung Association

By Katherine Scott, Senior Manager, Member Services & Certifications

In 1904, tuberculosis was the most feared disease in the world, affecting all segments of the population, old, young, rich, and poor. To combat this disease a group of doctors and concerned citizens formed the first voluntary health organization in America – the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis, later to become the American Lung Association.

For 115 years, the American Lung Association has been working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy, and research. Over the course of its long history, the organization has evolved to meet emerging, urgent lung health issues facing Americans today. Today, the organization seeks to:

• Improve the lives of all those living with lung disease by accelerating groundbreaking research,
• Address the leading cause of cancer deaths by raising awareness of lung cancer and the new availability of lifesaving lung cancer screening in order to ensure more eligible Americans are screened,
• Address and reduce the youth e-cigarette epidemic, and
• Advocate to reduce air pollution and address climate change in order to improve the health of all Americans, in part by increasing the use of renewable energy sources and zero- and low-emission hybrid vehicles.

The American Lung Association joined the National Health Council (NHC) because its patient-advocacy values align with the NHC – a focus on ensuring access to quality and affordable health care and sharing science-based health information with the public.

To learn more about the American Lung Association, visit Lung.org.

If you would like more information on NHC membership, please contact me.