November is Christmas Seals Month
Learn the History and Importance of this Organization
Christmas Seals has a long history and a very worthwhile story to tell. Learn more about this campaign that is still in existence today.
November is Christmas Seals Month. Long ago, in a time not so vastly different from ours, there was a terrible disease ravaging the population. The year was 1871, and the name of the killer was tuberculosis. This history is adapted from the American Lung Association.
Edward Livingston Trudeau
Edward Livingston Trudeau, a doctor himself, was diagnosed as having tuberculosis. Believing that he was doomed to an early death like so many others, he retired to a peaceful cabin in the mountains of New York State.
Dr. Trudeau began feeling better, and he came to the conclusion that with rest and relaxation, healthy food, and clean air and sunlight, tuberculosis could be cured. He wanted other victims to have the same chance at recovery that he had, so in 1884 he opened the first sanatorium (hospital) for tuberculosis sufferers in the United States.
Joseph Wales
By 1904, such places were springing up all over the country. At the Brandywine Hospital, a doctor by the name of Joseph Wales wanted to help keep the hospital from having to close its doors forever, so he asked the help of his cousin Emily Bissell. Young Emily had a natural gift for fundraising, so she set her mind to work on finding aid for the countless victims of tuberculosis. She had read an article in the newspaper about a man in Denmark who had come up with an idea that had seemed ahead of its time, and yet had proven to be timeless.
Einar Holboell
A postal clerk, named Einar Holboell had been inspired by the amounts of mail during the holiday season, and thought that a small seal sold during the time of year when the spirit of giving is at its finest point, might raise enough money to finance a hospital for the children afflicted with tuberculosis. Even the king and queen of Denmark were impressed by Einar's vision. That is why the first ever Christmas seal depicted their likenesses, and was issued in 1904.
Emily Bissell
Emily was also impressed with this idea, and she gained permission from the Red Cross to use their logo on the Christmas seals that would help raise money for the aid of the sick Americans. She sold them at a small stand in the Wilmington, DE post office lobby, in small envelopes that said in bright red letters:
"25 Christmas Stamps, one penny apiece, issued by the Delaware Red Cross to stamp out the White Plague. Put this stamp with message bright on every Christmas letter; help the tuberculosis fight, and make the New Year better. These stamps do not carry and kind of mail, but any kind of mail will carry them." (American Lung Association Crusade: University of Virginia Health System)
Emily’s campaign was such a success, that $3,000.00 was earned that first year.
Christmas Seals Today
The American Lung Association adopted the Christmas Seals idea, and since 1927, it has been the main source of donations received. The organization today works to fight the numerous respiratory diseases that afflict the people of the world. For example, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma, in addition to the cases of tuberculosis that still occur.
Research into finding cures and effective medications is helped by the money raised, and also financial aid to individuals that suffer from these ailments, and many other areas benefit from the generous donations that the Christmas Seals Foundation brings in.
November is Christmas Seal month, and this year, you can offer a small bit of help to the Christmas Seals Foundation, just by adding one to your holiday cards and letters.
