What is the chILD Foundation
About the chILD Foundation
The chILD Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax identification information is available upon request from chILD Foundation Board.
chILD Foundation Mission
Our mission is to accelerate research to cure all forms of Children’s Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease (chILD) and to provide compassionate support, education, and hope to children and families affected by these life-altering diseases.
chILD Foundation History
The Children’s Interstitial Lung Disease Foundation was established on March 27th 2004 by one dedicated doctor and five committed families. The Mission of this not-for-profit organization is to provide support, education and hope to families affected with a pediatric interstitial lung disease (now called Children’s Interstitial Lung Disease) and to advocate and raise funds for scientific research.
These five families were invited to the first chILD medical conference. They were invited to tell the physicians their children’s stories and to impart upon them the urgency of their work in the field of chILD. They were also invited to the conference to learn if there was interest among them in starting a network of families with chILD.
Dr. Robin Deterding, of The Children’s Hospital in Denver, recognized the need for the chILD medical community to work together to make a difference in the lives of children with these rare lung diseases. She took the initiative to get the conference funded by the R-13 National Institute of Health grant. The first chILD conference was held in conjunction with the Rare Lung Disease Consortium.
Dr. Deterding and her colleagues recognized the needs of the families affected by chILD and the impact a combined effort would have in finding answers and successful treatment options for children with chILD. At this first conference, these families discussed what goals they would like to accomplish as a foundation. They also met and talked with a number of individuals who had already established foundations. On March 27th, 2004 the chILD Family Network Foundation was established.
Today, the chILD Foundation continues its work to carry out its mission. Sadly, there are many more chILD families. But, as these new families have worked together with the foundation, they have found support, answers to their questions and hope that future research will find successful treatments and, ultimately, cures for their children.
The chILD Foundation is proud to report that with the donations from friends and family members, we have begun a research program. Since 2010, the foundation has co-sponsored over $150,000 in research grants with the American Thoracic Society. Please see our News Page for more updates about the chILD Foundation.