Author
Susanne Tjaden, German Lung Foundation e. V., as published in Alpha1 Journal 2/2022.
Story
In the early 1990s, ten professors active in the German Society for Pneumology came together in the "Celle Circle" to address the obvious shortcomings in the public perception of pneumology in Germany, following the successful restructuring of the scientific society. At that time, pneumology, unlike all other subspecialties of internal medicine, was represented at only a quarter of German universities, and in the vast majority of these cases, it was not an independent department. Largely unnoticed by the public, pneumology was practiced only at a few university locations and in a handful of specialized hospitals. Due to a lack of adequate teaching, there was a shortage of young scientists and clinicians, training opportunities for young physicians were lacking, and scientific research was in no way commensurate with the importance of the field and the epidemiological data on the development of lung diseases, being limited to only a few centers and clinics. The ten professors (Rainer Dierkesmann, Helmut Fabel, Nikolaus Konietzko, Robert Loddenkemper, Helgo Magnussen, Harald Morr, Gerhard Schultze-Werninghaus, Gerhard Sybrecht, Thomas Wagner, and Ralf Wettengel) initially founded an association to prepare for the establishment of a non-profit German Lung Foundation, which then became the German Lung Foundation (DLS) upon its registration in the register of associations on November 10, 1998. Similar to the German Heart Foundation and the German Cancer Foundation, the primary concern and goal of the DLS was to serve as a patron and voice for German pulmonology in the public sphere. A significant contribution to the successful launch of the foundation in its early years was made by Christiane Herzog, wife of the then-serving Federal President, Professor Dr. Roman Herzog.
Projects
The primary goal of the German Lung Foundation (DLS) is to raise awareness about the prevention and treatment of lung diseases. The DLS sees itself as a champion and advocate for the goals of the German Society for Pneumology (DGP) in the non-medical sector. Key areas of focus for the DLS include the prevention of inhalation smoking in childhood and adolescence through extensive school projects and a dedicated youth website (www.warum-rauchen.de); the awarding of a media prize to journalists for their reporting on lung diseases to inform the public; collaboration with patient support groups; the development (in cooperation with the DGP) of a new version of the White Paper on Lung Diseases; patient conferences; concise written patient information on respiratory and lung diseases; an expert advisory board open to all questions; and the promotion and support of scientific research by young pulmonologists through a doctoral prize and a research prize on pediatric pulmonology topics, awarded jointly with the German Society for Pediatric Pulmonology.
financing
The German Lung Foundation is financed exclusively through donations and membership fees, which are tax-deductible. The board and advisory board members work on a voluntary basis.
structure
The German Lung Foundation has approximately 300 members, the majority of whom are non-physicians. The Executive Board consists of four members, the Board of Trustees of 21, and the Foundation is advised by a Scientific Advisory Board. The Chairman of the Executive Board and President of the German Lung Foundation is Prof. Dr. Claus F. Vogelmeier (Marburg), the Chairman of the Board of Trustees is Prof. Dr. Tobias Welte (Hanover), and the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board is Prof. Dr. Berthold Jany (Würzburg). The German Lung Foundation maintains an office in Langenhagen.
