Mildred Scheel

Life and work

Mildred Scheel was the third child of a radiologist and his American wife. Already as a child, she was very much interested in medicine and often accompanied her father in his practice. The family left the bombed-out Cologne in 1944, and moved to Amberg.

Her life's work

With the establishment of the German Cancer Aid in 1974, the foundation stone was laid for the future non-profit life work of Mildred Scheel. From the very beginning, her organization was marked by the fact that no tax money was expected and no donations were ever accepted from the pharmaceutical industry. "We must be completely independent of political and economic interests. We only have to serve the people's health and remain committed", was her credo.

Mildred Scheel broke the taboo in society and started an open and free public discussion about cancer in general, and especially about uterine cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer in particular.

Shortly after founding the German Cancer Aid, Mildred Scheel had succeeded in winning over the medical profession to cooperate in these efforts. She initiated the first scientific medical conferences of cancer experts from Europe, United States and Asia.

In 1985 she died of complications from cancer. She kept the diagnosis secret from everybody except her family and very close friends. The Honorary grave of Mildred Scheel is located at the Old Cemetery in Bonn.