Purpose

Extracted from our bylaws:

1. To understand the medical, psychological and social needs of the aerodigestive patient whose disease originates in childhood

2. To promote the understanding of these needs through learning, research and teaching

3. To advocate for the needs of the aerodigestive patient and the pediatric aerodigestive discipline at all levels, including to other medical, governmental, institutional and health care organizations and governing bodies, as well as to the public

4. To foster the collaborative integration of various disciplines involved in the care of the pediatric aerodigestive patient and the interaction between the discipline and intersecting disciplines 

5. To advance the breadth and quality of research designed to improve the health and quality of life for patients with aerodigestive conditions

6. To organize a central information service in order to publish and distribute material relative to the purposes of this Society.

7. To maintain continuing liaison with, and provide informational services to the public, and to appropriate agencies and organizations which have a role in health planning, so as to keep them informed of significant events, research findings, or other developments that will materially affect planning activities.

8. To promote training in the fields encompassed by the Society.

9. To coordinate cooperative research within and among the fields of otorhinolaryngology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, speech pathology, occupational therapy, pediatrics, and other disciplines; and to aid in preventing and combating diseases and disorders of infants and children.

10. To aid and assist all health workers and health consumers by conducting meetings and disseminating information relative to effecting the purposes of the Society.

11. To solicit, collect, receive, hold, invest, reinvest, distribute and disburse donations, subscriptions, gifts, bequests, and other funds for the purposes of this corporation; to aid, in cooperation with other societies, departments of health, commissions, and other approved and interested health organizations, in the promotion of programs and projects.

12. To establish, maintain, and administer units, branches, committees, and carry on other activities, within the State of Tennessee, United States or throughout the world, to effect and carry out the purposes of this corporation.

13. In the areas encompassed by this Society, to provide information on the availability of health services, preventive measures, early detection of disease and prompt and effective rehabilitation through the effective use of resources, and in such manner as to further the establishment of interrelated plans of health services.

14. To coordinate research in areas encompassed by the Society and to provide media for the foregoing, and to do any other acts or things incidental or connected with or in advancement thereof, both as a separate organization and in cooperation with other tax exempt national, state and local organizations, and other medical and paramedical groups, hospitals, nursing homes and individuals, but not for the pecuniary profit or financial gain of its members, directors, officers or any individuals, except as permitted under Article 5 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law.

15. This corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and scientific purposes, including but not limited to receiving contributions and paying them over to an organization described in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code as now in effect or hereafter amended. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the corporation to establish or maintain in the State of Tennessee any institution or agency or have a purpose mentioned in Section 404 (b) through (p) of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. The corporation shall not furnish or perform any medical or health and services directly to any person or engage in any of the activities mentioned in Section 757 of the Executive Law, or to participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate or public office, or carry on any other activity not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from taxation under Section 5 10 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code as now in effect or hereafter amended, or a corporation contributions which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code as now in effect or hereafter amended.