American Lung Association Joins the Dr. Kathleen Jordan Project to Celebrate Historical Achievements and Raise Awareness of Tuberculosis

Today, the American Lung Association announced its collaboration with the Dr. Kathleen Jordan Project for a weeklong celebration in Granite Falls, Minnesota from September 12-16, 2024. This event honors the long history of efforts to fight tuberculosis and addresses the ongoing need to educate the public about this disease. The American Lung Association will participate by providing historical Christmas Seals and other items for display, presenting during the event and sharing Dr. Jordan’s inspiring story.

In the early 1900s, tuberculosis was a major public health crisis, claiming millions of lives worldwide. On June 6, 1904, Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau founded the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis, which later became the American Lung Association. The innovative work of Dr. Trudeau and the organization effectively curbed the devastation of tuberculosis in America.

During these formative years, the American Lung Association launched the Christmas Seals campaign, a volunteer-driven fundraising effort to end tuberculosis. This campaign played a pivotal role in supporting the work of many dedicated physicians, including Dr. Kathleen Jordan.

Dr. Jordan, a graduate of medical school in 1929—a time when few women entered the profession—dedicated her career to testing and treating tuberculosis across rural Minnesota. Her efforts were funded by the American Lung Association’s Christmas Seals campaign. Dr. Jordan met her husband, Dr. Lewis Jordan, at the Trudeau Sanatorium in New York, led by the Lung Association’s founder, Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau. The couple later moved to Granite Falls, Minnesota, where Dr. Jordan conducted over two million Mantoux tuberculin skin tests during her 40-year career, significantly impacting tuberculosis control in the Midwest.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with the Dr. Kathleen Jordan Project to celebrate the incredible legacy of Dr. Jordan and the groundbreaking efforts to combat tuberculosis. This event not only honors the past but also serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to educate and protect our communities from this infectious disease. We look forward to sharing our history, including the impact of the Christmas Seals campaign, and engaging with the Granite Falls community in this meaningful celebration," said Jill Heins, Senior Director, Nationwide Health Systems Improvement and Indoor Air Quality for the American Lung Association.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs but can affect almost any part of the body. Without treatment, TB can be fatal, but it is curable with proper medication. Historically, TB claimed 1.8 million lives globally each year. Advancements in prevention, testing, and treatment have significantly controlled TB in the U.S. However, the disease persists; in 2023, Minnesota reported 160 new TB cases, and globally, TB still claims a life every 20 seconds.

For more information, please visit DrKathleenJordanProject.org.