Health to All

Illustration of Santa on a green background with black text above and the American Lung Association logo on his beard

Before antibiotics, tuberculosis was a dreaded, almost incurable disease. In the turn of the century and early 1900s, tuberculosis patients’ only recourse was to go to a sanitorium and hope that a rest cure and fresh, dry air would cure them. With medical billing and facilities funding coming from different sources than today, a Delaware sanitorium was on the verge of closing in 1907 and looking for public fundraising ideas to keep the doors open. A doctor, Bissell, told his cousin, Emily Bissell, and she suggested they take up a Danish fundraising idea: sell a non-tender stamp or seal at a minimal price in post office lobbies where the profits go to support the sanitorium. Bissell designed the first 1 cent stamp herself and the Christmas Seal fundraiser was successful. The following year, the campaign became national. Christmas Seals sold by the American Lung Association has continued since that date. Every year features a different design like this image for Christmas 1971.