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I’ve just returned from a trip to West Bank to speak with colleagues from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). Despite the difficult circumstances the teams in West Bank and Gaza face every day, the staff and volunteers at PRCS remain incredibly committed to their humanitarian objectives. 

During a recent trip to meet with the leadership of Magen David Adom (MDA) – the Red Cross of Israel – we spoke about the incredible power of volunteers. Like in Canada, the work done by MDA is made possible by the staff and volunteers who give of their time, even in incredibly difficult circumstances. 

Many people who exercise regularly may also hide feelings of stress, managing anxiety, or emotional pain. They might appear fine on the outside, but they could be going through tough times inside. That’s why it's so important to unmask mental health and challenge our usual perceptions of what it looks like, especially in settings that seem the happiest on the surface.

On April 29, 30 and May 1, 2025, in Quebec City, the Canadian Red Cross facilitated a revised version of a training that has been offered for the past 10 years to various stakeholders to help them support Indigenous communities in emergency situations.

Amr is a media officer with the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Like many of his colleagues, his family has been impacted by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. We first introduced Amr after his family fled the north of Gaza to Khan Younis. We connected with him after his family had to flee again, this time to Rafah, and then one year after the escalation of hostilities. 

Working in remote or wilderness environments comes with unique challenges. If you work in a national, provincial or regional park, or in an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area, or as a wildland firefighter, as a wilderness fishing or hunting guide, or as part of a search and rescue team, help may be far away.

In the spring of 2024, Canadian Red Cross health advisor Lynn Henderson arrived in Ukraine to deliver a series of trainings for personnel of the First Medical Union of Lviv, which is the largest healthcare facility in Western Ukraine. 

In late March 2025, Ontario experienced a major ice storm, causing widespread power outages and damage in Orillia, Pefferlaw, Georgina, Dufferin, and Georgina Island First Nation. Thousands of people were impacted by the ice storm and some communities were without electricity for more than a week.