German Cancer Aid

The German Cancer Aid is a not-for-profit organization to fight cancer in all its forms. The institution was founded on September 25, 1974 by Dr. Mildred Scheel (1932-1985). She was the wife of Walter Scheel, the Federal President of Germany from 1974 to 1979.

As the “First Lady”, Mildred Scheel established the major cancer charity in Germany. It became the leading organization fighting cancer in Europe. From the very beginning, the organization has been supported only by private donors. The German Cancer Aid has remained independent of politics and the pharmacological industry. Mildred Scheel’s credo was: “We are only devoted to fight cancer for the benefit of all people.”

Under the motto “Help. Research. Information”, the organization sponsors and supports research projects to improve prevention, diagnosis, therapy, after-care and self-help. It helps to improve the equipment and personnel in hospitals and to remedy shortages and emergencies in institutions for therapy, research and rehabilitation. The German cancer patients who are in financial distress due to their disease can get advice, help and in certain cases also financial support. The German Cancer Aid and its "Dr. Mildred Scheel Foundation for Cancer Research" support numerous innovative research projects in order to develop new methods of therapy and diagnosis against cancer. The German Cancer Aid not only informs about the various types of cancer, but also about the possibilities of cancer prevention and motivates the population to get medical check-ups. “We organize and support medical education, education courses and information events in order to improve the fight against cancer”, said the managing director Gerd Nettekoven.

President of the organization since 2011 is Fritz Pleitgen, author and former leading German correspondent (ARD and WDR) He is elected for five years. Pleitgen succeeded Harald zur Hausen (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2008). He was the president of the German Cancer Aid in 2010.

...
Wikipedia