Each year the ELF award is given to a person or group of people who have made an outstanding contribution to the service of human health in the respiratory field.
The ELF award is given each year to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the service of human health. Not only does this award recognise the work that this person has done, but it also provides an opportunity for the ELF/ERS to acknowledge an important figure in the field of public health. Please see below the list of previous recipients of the award as an example of the usual awardees and past topics covered.
Nominations for the ELF Award 2025. are now open
The criteria for the award are as follows:
Nominate someone for the next ELF award:
We are delighted to announce that the ELF award 2024 has been awarded to Prof. Dr. Walter Klepetko for his outstanding work and dedication in providing equal access to lung transplantation for people with lung conditions in countries without transplantation programmes.
The chances of receiving a lung transplant vary widely across Europe. In some countries, lung transplantations have not been an option for a long time. Prof. Walter Klepetko has built up one of the most successful and respected lung transplantation programs at the Medical University of Vienna, which became Europe’s largest Center for teaching and education in this field. He and his team have provided a structured training in lung transplantation for more than 400 colleagues from countries all over the world, by setting up a twice-yearly lung transplant academy together with providing 6 to 12 months fellowships for intensive training at their department.
In this way, they have helped patients beyond borders and nationalities by creating access to this life-saving treatment in countries, where transplantation was not an option before. For all these achievements and more, this year’s ELF award recognises Prof. Dr. Walter Klepetko for his exceptional work in expanding knowledge, skills and opportunities.
Stefano Boeri was received the award for his inspirational work to improve air quality in urban environments. His designs integrate living nature into urban environment: several international studies have shown that living and working closely connected with trees and plants can lead to reduced stress levels and improved physical and mental health, as well as improved air quality with consequent positive impact on lung health.
Rosamund became a clean air advocate after her 9-year-old daughter, Ella, died in 2013 from asthma, exacerbated by air pollution. After years of campaigning for a second coroner’s inquest into Ella’s death, a landmark decision was reached in December 2020, making Ella the first person in the world to have air pollution listed as a cause of death on their death certificate.
In honour of his incredible decision to not have a lung transplant and by doing so bringing ‘medicine for all’ to the forefront of Greek politics and saving the lives of many people with cystic fibrosis – Dimitris Kontopidis, Vice President of Cystic Fibrosis Europe, cystic fibrosis patient and advocate was the 2021 ELF award winner.
In 2020 the ELF award was dedicated to all healthcare professionals, from nurses to physiotherapists and clinicians to support staff. During unprecedented times, respiratory professionals have pulled together in extraordinary ways; from the dedication to patient care to the rapid publication of more than 95,000 articles on the topic of COVID-19, to help inform our understanding of this new disease. While battling COVID-19, respiratory healthcare professionals have also been treating their regular patients, who have continued to live with their long-term lung diseases under stressful and worrying times.
ELF Chair Isabel Saraiva presented the 2019 ELF award to Dr Maria Neira (Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO)). The award recognised Dr Neira’s commitment to improving air quality globally and helping people to breathe clean air.
In 2018, the ELF Award went to the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group for the organisation’s dedication to improving air quality in numerous major cities, and for millions of citizens, worldwide. During the ERS International Congress in Paris, ELF Chair Isabel Saraiva went to Paris City Hall to present the ELF Award to Anne Hidalgo, the city’s mayor, who also chairs C40.
Outgoing ELF Chair Dan Smyth presented the ELF Award to Professor Colin Sullivan, the inventor of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The Award recognised Professor Sullivan’s huge contribution to improving the lives of people living with sleep apnoea – an issue personally felt by Dan, who uses CPAP himself.
We presented the ELF Award to The Sunday Times to celebrate their clean air campaign, which calls for better monitoring and reporting of pollution levels. Jonathan Leake, Science and Environment Editor of the Sunday Times, accepted the award, saying: "In journalism we receive a lot of awards, but these are mainly from other journalists. Getting recognition from scientists for the quality of our clean air campaign means a lot to us".
Coinciding with the launch of the second Healthy Lungs for Life campaign and its ‘take the active option’ message, double-lung transplant recipient and international athlete André Lassooij received the ELF Award for inspiring others through his achievements.
During the inaugural year of the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign, and in celebration of its “breathe clean air” message, the ELF award recognised WHO for its work in providing guidelines for outdoor air quality.
The ‘Ex-smokers are unstoppable campaign’, known as “Quit Smoking with Barca”. The programme aims to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of football fans around the world, by encouraging them to quit smoking.
Norwegian Olympic rowing champion, Olaf Tufte and the World Spirometry Day Lung Champions in recognition of their dedication to exercise and sport despite living with lung conditions.
In recognition of her work to promote quality of life in asthma care and clinical research.
Who all committed themselves to the fight for a tobacco-free Europe.
Executive Secretary of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in recognition of his outstanding efforts to reduce the impact of climate change on respiratory health.
Mayor of New York to mark his outstanding contributions to combat tobacco use worldwide.
In recognition of his major contributions made to establish scientific evidence for the impact of the environment on lung health.
In recognition of his ground-breaking research into the viruses responsible for avian flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
For pioneering epidemiological studies on tobacco-related deaths and cancer prevention.
