American Red Cross

Button batteries can be a parent or babysitter’s worst nightmare. Elizabeth Hewett Brumberg, an emergency medicine physician and member of our Scientific Advisory Council, explains that when swallowed, button batteries can cause severe, permanent damage to a child's esophagus or other vital parts of the body. If this happens, you should call 911 or take the child to an emergency room right away. If the child is at least 1 years old, you can give them honey to help slow the rate of burning tissue. Our new Babysitter's Training course and free Child Care app can help you feel more confident and prepared to act during emergencies like this. Learn more about these resources from our experts: https://rdcrss.org/42IlIz0

In Hawaiian culture, 'kūpuna' refers to grandparents, ancestors or honored elders. They are highly respected in the community and seen as keepers of ancestral knowledge and cultural practices. Our Kūpuna is a Red Cross Long-Term Recovery grantee and community recovery partner that supports elders in Hawaii. Through a weekly food delivery program, they ensure the community's respected 'kūpuna’ are cared for as they continue to recover from the August 2023 wildfires. Volunteers with Our Kūpuna distribute grocery bags filled with rice, protein, laundry detergent, toilet paper, and other essential items each week. They also spend extra time during each visit to check in on the elders’ well-being and determine whether they have additional needs. Coreen, who babysits her grandson while her daughter works, was exceptionally grateful for the resources. She donates financially to the Red Cross and never expected to be the one who needed help. "The Red Cross has been a godsend,” she said. We’re honored to work alongside partners like Our Kūpuna, who are providing local vulnerable communities with the support and resources they deserve.

Giving birth to twins should have been a joyous moment for Ellen Rucker Sellers. But hours after delivering her son and daughter via C-section, her joy quickly turned to panic. “I told my husband I was getting hot,” Ellen said. “Then, I passed out while nursing the babies. The next thing I remember was him outside my room screaming, 'Will someone come help my wife?!’” Ellen was hemorrhaging severely, with blood pooling inside her uterus. She had lost a significant amount of blood, and her care team worked quickly to replenish the lost blood and prevent further loss. Seven units of blood and six units of platelets helped saved her life. Because of generous blood donors, blood products were available when Ellen needed them most, and today, her 20-year-old daughter and 6-year-old twins have their mother. This fight for her life transformed Ellen into a powerful voice for Black maternal health. Women who are Black are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related issues than women who are white, and Black women are more likely to experience severe postpartum hemorrhage — just as Ellen did. "My life was saved because my doctors took my circumstances seriously," Ellen said. “I feel it is important for existing health care systems to care for all patients the same, no matter what their differences are." #BlackMaternalHealth #MinorityHealth

It's been nearly two weeks of continuous severe weather and devastating floods across the Midwest and South. We're on the ground working as fast as we can to help people. - Over 1,270 trained Red Cross responders have worked alongside our partners to provide shelter, meals and emergency supplies. - 38,000 relief items have been distributed to assist with clean-up efforts. - In shelters, volunteers are helping replace prescription medications, eyeglasses and other medical equipment like canes and wheelchairs. Unfortunately, experts say flooding could continue for weeks. This unfolding crisis is part of a years-long trend of worsening extreme weather. People need urgent assistance now. Help those affected by disasters like floods, storms and countless other crises by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your donation helps us prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from disasters big and small: https://rdcrss.org/3RMlCQD

One gallon. It’s a significant blood donation milestone for Marilyn Jimenez considering she wasn’t encouraged to donate growing up. Marilyn was born in Mexico and grew up between there and the U.S. She says that for Mexicans, there isn’t a strong culture of proactively donating blood unless a family member, neighbor or acquaintance had a specific need. That mindset personally changed for Marilyn once she began working at the American Red Cross. Her awareness of the need for blood nationwide grew, and she quickly learned the profound impact that blood donations can have on a patient in need. “I realized that blood is needed long before a person goes into surgery or has an accident,” Marilyn said. “Also, the need for blood is greater than the number of people who donate.” She is one of the nearly 60% of Latinos who have O positive blood, the most transfused blood type and often in low supply. “Whenever I talk about this topic, people are always like, ‘Wow!’” Marilyn said. “I believe that many Latinos don’t realize the important role they play in maintaining the blood supply. It’s key for people to know that the blood we’re collecting can help save the lives of other Latinos.” Marilyn has no plans to stop donating blood. In fact, she finds motivation to continue through the updates she receives on where her blood donation goes. “Last year, I donated platelets, and three units were distributed to three different hospitals. It was really cool to see that one donation helped three different people.”

This is a reminder to check your dog for ticks! The best way to protect against ticks, which can cause disease, is to use tick preventative medication. But if you do catch a tick on your pet, you should: - Put on non-latex, powder free gloves and part the fur around the tick. - Use blunt-end tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. - Pull the tick out by using a slow, steady motion. - Monitor the area for signs of redness, swelling or discharge. - Call your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns. You can find more tips for caring for your furry friend this spring by downloading the free Red Cross Pet First Aid app.

"The pressure to always be online can lead to exhaustion. It is a complete myth that people work less when they work from home. On the contrary, I believe that work-from-home employees typically work longer hours." Misha McAllister, who works on our Talent Acquisition team, shares her best tips for people who work remotely in this LinkedIn Article. #RedCrossCareers #RemoteJobs #NonProfitJobs

If you guessed that all these things could start a wildfire, you’re correct! Over 84% of wildfires are started by people. Follow these tips to prevent them: • Dispose of smoking materials properly. Use deep, sturdy ashtrays and douse cigarette and cigar butts with water before disposal. • Never leave campfires unattended. Fully extinguish fires by reducing wood logs or burned material to ash and saturating the remaining ashes with water. • Create a defensible space around your home by clearing dry vegetation and leaves from around your home, roof and gutters. • Be cautious with fireworks. Choose safe locations away from buildings and trees, and keep a supply or fire extinguisher on hand. Consider canceling fireworks if there’s a drought.

Sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia major, and severe postpartum hemorrhage are health conditions that disproportionately affect communities of color, and blood transfusions are essential treatments for these patients. Having a strong and diverse blood supply is important in improving the health outcomes of these populations and helping save lives. Join us this National Minority Health Month by making an appointment to donate blood: https://rdcrss.org/43E8NiE

More than 770 Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground across the South and Midwest providing safe shelter, meals and emergency supplies after severe weather, including tornadoes and flooding, devastated communities. Additional volunteers and emergency response vehicles are on standby as more catastrophic flash flooding is expected in the days ahead. • If you need help: Our shelters are open to anyone. You can find a shelter by visiting redcross.org, downloading the free Red Cross Emergency app, or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. • If you want to help: You can support our nonstop disaster relief work and help people affected by disasters like fires, storms and countless other crises by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your donation can help us prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from disasters big and small: https://rdcrss.org/4j0tqKQ