The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.

John Best is no stranger to aid work. In fact, the North Bay resident has been deploying on missions with the Canadian Red Cross since 2005, so when the call came to help in Sierra Leone, one of the countries most affected by the Ebola outbreak, John knew what he had to do. 

Nikola Latinovic is one of the latest Canadian Red Cross aid workers to deploy to Sierra Leone. Once there, he will be playing an important role in working to contain the Ebola outbreak.

The Canadian Red Cross responds to thousands of calls for help every year and most of the people who respond are volunteers, some of whom are newcomers to Canada. These trained volunteers are ready and willing to assist people affected by a disaster whether it's in the middle of the night or as a result of a weather-related emergency.

Ebola has been one of the most talked about health emergencies in the past year, but unless you’ve been in close contact with an infected person, you are very unlikely to contract the virus. There are many myths and fears surrounding the Ebola outbreak, both in the affected region of West Africa and in our own country. These fears are hampering efforts to fight the disease.

Like most Canadians, I am itching to ditch the cold and lie on a beach somewhere. I’m searching for travel deals and getting insider tips on the best places to go. I’m also making sure I can enjoy my whole vacation and get back in one piece! I’m a Red Crosser so ‘safety first’ is one of our unspoken mottos. Here are a few things to remember if you’re looking to head south like me.

It was the largest Red Cross response ever to a single country. The Red Cross helped one in two Haitians, about five million people. After the 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, individual Canadians and governments generously donated $222 million to the Canadian Red Cross to support the tremendous emergency and recovery efforts. 

While much of the attention around the current Ebola outbreak has been on treating patients, combating the fears, stigma and myths associated with the virus is another important component of the Red Cross response.