World Red Cross Red Crescent Day

Emily O’Halloran, a volunteer with the IRC Bailieborough Branch, experienced an unexpected turn of events at Arnotts, becoming a beacon of compassion during the Christmas rush. When Declan fell ill at the restaurant, Emily swiftly came to his aid, urging him to rest and offering comfort until he recovered. Declan and his wife were profoundly grateful, seeing Emily’s actions as a miracle. They expressed their thanks in a letter to the Irish Red Cross, praising Emily’s embodiment of the Christmas spirit. The letter circulated, reminding all remarkable individuals, like Emily, who selflessly serve others.

Volunteer EMT and member of the Dundalk Branch Carol Cumiskey put her training into action to save a life when she came across a sudden out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest. Her training kicked in and thanks to her prompt reaction and access to a defibrillator, the person is on their way to making a full recovery. The Dundalk Branch is now working with people in the town and the council to raise awareness and increase the number of public defibrillators in the area. This individual was having a normal day when the abnormal happened but thanks outstanding training, Irish Red Cross Volunteers are always ready to aid on or off duty.

Kathy, a member of Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown and Dalkey CFR, showcased remarkable courage at Malahide Castle. While en route to provide first aid for a concert, she encountered someone in cardiac arrest. Kathy swiftly called for help, initiated CPR, and utilized a defibrillator, aided by Garda and Irish Rail staff. Thanks to her quick actions, the individual was revived and transported to the hospital, where they are recovering. Kathy’s response underscores the importance of prompt recognition of cardiac arrest, immediate CPR, and timely defibrillation, highlighting the critical elements of the chain of survival.

Our Emergency First Response (EFR) Programme Manager Ger O’Connor recently assisted in a medical emergency along with other responders and contributed to the successful resuscitation of a child. The letter presented to Ger by the HSE Community Engagement Team confirms that his quick response, skillful actions, assessment and administration of life-saving measures contributed greatly to the successful outcome, meaning the child is now back with family and friends.

German volunteer firefighter Arian Hanitzsch, trained by the Irish Red Cross, responded heroically to March’s tragic sword attack in Cork. Staying in Cobh, he swiftly aided Ian Baitson, 32, who suffered critical injuries from the attack. Arian applied first aid, improvising a tourniquet and administering CPR with a local responder. Their efforts initially stabilized Baitson, but despite medical support, he succumbed to his injuries. Arian’s bravery highlights the crucial role of first responders in crises, emphasizing the need for widespread first aid education. His actions echo the importance of readiness and empowerment in facing adversity.

Youssef Khoder, a Palestine Red Crescent volunteer in northern Gaza, begins his day at 7 am, caring for his family and fetching food from a nearby market. He hails from a family of volunteers, including his mother and brothers who serve as nurses. Despite being displaced during crises; they return to help their community. Youssef and his wife prepare meals for their children, aged 2 to 6, before he heads to the PRCS medical point in Jabalia. Walking 2 kilometers daily, Youssef and his brothers fulfill their humanitarian duty, committed to serving the people of northern Gaza with unwavering dedication.

Wajdan Hassan Ahmed has been volunteering for 16 years. She describes the past twelve months as the most difficult year of her life. “The stories I experienced at the beginning of the war – the evacuations of people disfigured by bomb shrapnel, the stories of fathers who had lost their daughters, mothers who had lost their children, parents who lost their whole family… all these stories have stayed with me, and I cannot forget them,” she said. Working as one Movement, Sudan Red Crescent volunteers has been supported by ICRC, IFRC and national societies in the provision of essential services including first aid, psychosocial support, distributing food, water, and urgent medical care.

An elderly married couple were evacuated from the temporarily occupied territory of Kerson Oblast in Ukraine. The Red Cross volunteers helped Mrs Ganna who is blind and her husband Volodymyr who cannot walk unassisted be transported on evacuation carts to safety. The couple was brought through the two-kilometre pedestrian zone, a difficult and dangerous path to the checkpoint in Sumy Oblast. Ganna never let go of her husband’s hand.
Assistance in transportation and the provision of humanitarian aid is regularly carried out by volunteers of the rapid response unit of Ukrainian Red Cross almost every day.

Nine years into a devastating conflict, Yemen’s humanitarian needs remain among the worst in the world. Our main focus in Yemen is to continue supporting the life-saving and essential activities carried out for the people of Yemen. This includes the provision of food, clean water, and essential household items as well as support to health structures. In Damt, which hosts 50,000 internally displaced people, the ICRC supported the Water and Sanitation Local Corporation to extend the network to provide clean, drinkable water to around 18,000 people.

After losing his foot in a building collapse in Daraa, 15 year old Yazan is back to enjoying cycling with his new prosthetic limb. The pain of amputation and the limitations it imposed were a heavy burden for him and his family. However, Yazan’s spirit remained unbroken. Thanks to the work and physical therapy provided by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), Yazan is regaining his confidence and mobility and can begin to enjoy activities like he used to, like playing football and cycling with his friends. Irish Red Cross is coordinating with the SARC and Movement partners to provide urgent support and funding to address both immediate needs and long-term recovery in Syria.