Olga works as the receptionist at the Canadian Red Cross in Hamilton. Her day started like any other day until everything changed suddenly. She came across someone showing obvious signs of opioid poisoning, and she did not freeze or fear. Instead, she reached for something stronger: a naloxone kit.

A social delegate with the Réseau d’entraide des délégués sociaux et des déléguées sociales of the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), Donald has been coordinating FTQ’s workplace campaign in support of the Canadian Red Cross since 2002. He was directly affected by the 2023 wildfires in Chibougamau and was forced to evacuate his home that summer.

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.