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Over the past six month, the Red Cross has been working to improve healthcare in Cyclone Idai impacted Mozambique. Canadian Red Crosser Jenn Houtby recently returned from Mozambique, where she was able to take stock of just how much work has been accomplished over the last months. 

Thirty years ago, in August 1989, Barb McNeill of Summerside, PEI, swam the English Channel, one of 15 Canadians to date and the only one from PEI who has done so. Decades later, her passion for swimming and water safety is perhaps rivalled only by the love of her golden retrievers.

Swim badges are an exciting part of Red Cross Swim Lessons. When children are recognized for mastering swimming and water skills in their current Red Cross Swim  level and earn a swim badge - it's something worth celebrating! We encourage you to celebrate your child's accomplishment by giving this meaningful item the place it deserves. Check out 5 DIY ways you can keep swim badges as mementos.

Dealing with years of chronic pain would be stressful enough on its own. Now add to that the hardship of being in the hospital for months at a time, finally getting to return home, but with no support from people around you to help make that transition.

Ann is one of our amazing volunteers in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She volunteers in the Emergency Management program helping her community in times of need and has assisted in public education through emergency preparedness presentations. In her own words, this is why she gives back.

Strong storms, including tornadoes, can and do happen in Canada. If we can’t control the weather, we can at least prepare for it.
 

Colourful mats line the floor, dolls sit in anticipation of being played with, building blocks stand at the ready, and puzzles lay piled waiting to be put together. These are rooms any child would want to play in – brightly painted Child Friendly Spaces, created by the Nepal Red Cross Society following the 2015 earthquake, with funding support from the Canadian Red Cross.

The James family were one of many households in Ottawa impacted by the Great Ice Storm of 1998.  They managed through the many chilly nights without power but realized they could have been more prepared. Debbie made the decision, when the time was right, to join the Canadian Red Cross. When learning how to be better prepared for disasters, she also trained to be a responder to help others. 
On September 21, 2018, when tornadoes tore through the Ottawa/Gatineau region, Debbie had volunteered with the Red Cross for 13 years. In that time, she had responded to over 100 individual emergencies and supported Canadians impacted by  large-scale disasters like the Alberta Floods and Fort McMurray Fires.