A second chance at life inspires a full circle moment for Red Cross CPR instructor

This past March, American Red Cross of Western New York intern Sado Isak found herself before an auditorium full of local students.

“I think what we as individuals fear the most ends up being what we’re the most good at.”

A Brockport public health graduate with a fear of public speaking, the 24-year-old intern was leading one of the several Hands-Only CPR courses she would teach that week, each with a mindset that Isak is proud to share with those she encounters.

“Thank God for the good and the bad, because those situations are bound to teach you something. They either make you or break you.”

In her nearly two and a half decades, Isak has learned quite a bit. A native of Uganda, Isak moved to the Rochester area with her family as a 7-year-old after living in a refugee camp and fondly recalled her first interaction with snow.

“I thought it was left over from a party or something, I couldn’t understand why it was all over the place. It was cold!”

But fast forward to March 2020 and Isak will tell you it was her life-threatening experience with COVID-19 at the onset of a global pandemic that helped to fortify her way of thinking.

As she worked to complete her final semester at Monroe Community College, Isak struggled for weeks with an illness whose progression was still relatively unknown to healthcare professionals and the world. After four weeks of battling what she thought was a terrible cold at home surrounded by family, she said her body simply gave out.

“I have never experienced that much pain, that much sickness.”

Paramedics were called to her home and provided lifesaving compressions, resuscitating Isak before taking her to a local hospital for treatment where she quickly recovered.

“I feel like that left a huge mark on me,” Isak explained. “It was very scary. I’ve never experienced anything like that, and I never thought I would be getting CPR done to me. I see this as a great sign that I was destined to do something. I was destined to do something better.”

Since then, Isak has taken full advantage of her second chance – turning it into a full circle moment

pursuing a degree in Public Health and starting an internship with the American Red Cross, not long after another second chance moment seen around the world shone a spotlight on the importance of CPR and preparedness training.

“I’ve been doing a lot of youth leadership programs like Prepare with Pedro, and a lot of Hands-Only CPR trainings,” she explained. “I didn’t really think of the trauma of what I went through, I just thought we need to teach people how to properly treat someone who needs it.”

Since January, the American Red Cross has experienced a notable increase in inquiries about CPR and AED training, and in course enrollments – as well as how to obtain an AED. And while the industry continues to see a growing interest in preparedness training such as CPR/AED training, Isak who graduated from Brockport last month, hopes her experience inspires others to follow suit.

“I’m a huge believer in that everything happens for a reason,” she explained. “If it were you, wouldn’t you want someone to do the same for you?”

Making an Impact: How One Mental Health Volunteer is Making a Difference During the Pandemic

Throughout Red Cross Month we are spotlighting those volunteers within the Western New York region who help to make a difference in our community and truly define the humanitarian spirit that shapes the mission of the American Red Cross.

As we mark one year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Allison Keller and her extraordinary work as a Disaster Mental Health volunteer showcase the importance of mental health services and human connection and her efforts are one of many reasons why the Red Cross has been able to fulfill its mission in the face of a global pandemic.

For Keller, her volunteer journey began in 2014 when she was looking for opportunities to give back to her new community following a move from Rochester. Originally starting out in Disaster Relief, Keller continued to look for ways to utilize her skills as a school psychologist and eventually made the transition to Mental Health Services.

Shortly after COVID-19 hit last year, her first assignment in Disaster Mental Health was with a start-up pilot group, where she offered phone calls of support and resources to families who were impacted by COVID-19. 

At that time, Keller like many others, didn’t know what to expect.

“We respond to disasters all the time, but in this case it was a worldwide disaster,” she recalled. “People would need face masks just to go outside their homes, but nobody had face masks. So what were they supposed to do? It was hard that they couldn’t go anywhere without the masks.”

These days, Keller says it can be a challenge to create connections with those around us while social distancing for our own safety. For Keller and her fellow volunteers, though, those efforts have and continue to make a difference. Since the onset of the pandemic, licensed mental health and spiritual care volunteers like Keller have provided emotional support, psychological first aid and referrals to community resources. In total, they have made more than 53,000 mental health and spiritual care contacts to help people during disasters. Additionally, trained volunteers continue to provide free crisis counseling through the Virtual Family Assistance Center, which offers support to grieving families during COVID-19.

Keller is quick to remind those she encounters that their emotional and mental wellbeing is equally as important as our physical health. In the COVID era, staying safe and dealing with our new normal can be stressful. It’s Red Cross volunteers like Allison Keller who can be a shoulder to lean on during these challenging times. 

If you were inspired by Allison’s story and would like to learn about ways you can make a difference and volunteer in your community visit RedCross.org. 

Story by: Maggie Wurth, American Red Cross 

Red Cross offering support to families and frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19

American Red Cross compassionate care is needed now more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specially trained volunteers are available with support, information, workshops and referrals for families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 as well as for frontline workers.
 
“Our thoughts are with all who have suffered the loss of a loved one to COVID-19, as well as all those grappling with the emotional impact of this pandemic,” said Alan H. Turner II, Regional Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross, Western New York Region. “We also extend our gratitude to frontline workers who have sacrificed so much. The Red Cross is here to provide compassionate support.”
 
Support for Grieving Families
Individuals and families can visit redcross.org/VFAC or call 833-492-0094 to access a support hub with information, referrals, special virtual programs and services to support families in need.  A team of specially trained Red Cross Disaster Mental Health, Disaster Spiritual Care, and Health Services volunteers are ready to support families during this difficult time. These Red Cross team members help by:

• Connecting with families over the phone to offer condolences, support and access to resources
  
• Providing support for virtual memorial services for families, including connecting with local faith-based community partners
  
• Hosting online classes to foster resilience and facilitate coping skills
  
• Sharing information and referrals to state and local agencies as well as other community organizations including legal resources for estate, custody, immigration, or other issues

Support for Frontline Healthcare Workers and First Responders
“These first responder heroes are courageous and resilient but are often overworked and have to deal with enormous uncertainty and grief,” said Dr. James Halpern, American Red Cross Board of Directors and Founding Director, Institute for Disaster Mental Health, SUNY New Paltz​.

Because of the rapidly changing environment and new, difficult roles taken on by frontline workers, all while worrying about their own families, Dr. Halpern and the Red Cross have developed this online webinar for hospital staff throughout the New York region to help frontline heroes cope during these unprecedented times.
 
The Red Cross also offers individual and group emotional support for frontline workers. This free service helps frontline workers cope with the stress of working with families affected by COVID-19. Individuals may call our toll free number 833-492-0094 or groups may schedule a support session using the Training Request Form. Red Cross volunteers who are professional healthcare providers, mental health providers and spiritual care providers will work with the individual directly or can schedule a group support session. All services are free and confidential.

Red Cross Western NY region staff member shares the special meaning behind his dedication on the job

 

Jason Fogg's infant son, Jackson, required a blood transfusion related to an emergency heart surgery in 2018. Today, he is a happy, healthy 2-year old.

January is National Blood Donor Month. Without volunteer donors, blood products for hospital patients like Jackson – young son of Rochester collections specialist Jason Fogg – would not be readily available.  
 
Fogg has served the Red Cross Western New York region for two and a half years, but he was only a few months on the job before he experienced an even deeper appreciation for the organization’s lifesaving mission. 
 
In early 2018, 2-month-old Jackson was diagnosed with an extremely rare, life-threatening congenital heart defect, which caused the passage of blood to be slowed due to an extra chamber in his heart’s left atrium. With very mild symptoms, the Foggs were lucky to have caught it as early as they did. Within 24 hours, Jackson was undergoing emergency surgery, and required a blood transfusion. 
 
At that time, Fogg had only recently started working for the Red Cross. “It was an eye-opener to me for a lot of different reasons, but it made me appreciate the work that I do even more,” said Fogg. “I reached out to our team and said, ‘make sure you tell everybody in collections and everyone around you right now, thank you for everything that you do.’” 
 
Thankfully Jackson, now 2, has made a full recovery.  
 
“I have this motto on a bracelet I wear and it says ‘do it for Jackson’ with a little blood drop on it,” said Fogg. Whenever days are getting tough or things are not going well, I look at it as a reminder that this is important work and I take a lot of pride in what I do.”
 

Esteemed recognition

Fogg’s responsibilities include setting up blood drives, training and coaching staff, and managing the drives entirely. In his terms, this means “taking the moving pieces and making them all work to collect blood products as efficiently as possible.”  
 
With his dedication in mind, Fogg was recently nominated for and awarded the Red Cross Presidential Award for Excellence. Fogg received a pin and certificate (pictured above) in recognition of this national-level achievement.
 
The Presidential Award for Excellence is presented to employees or volunteers who demonstrate exceptional performance or service in support of the organization, delivering on its multi-faceted mission. Nominees actions must go beyond meeting organizational goals and expectations and be exemplary of the highest level of commitment to Red Cross values and the execution of superior service and performance.
 
“Jason cares deeply for the mission of the Red Cross and works hard to fulfill it and serve as an example for other employees. He is an innovative problem solver. He finds new ways to enhance the donation experience, realizing that even the smallest, everyday efforts make a difference,” said Hanna Malak, Western New York Regional Donor Services Executive.
 
Humbled, Fogg is quick to share the credit.
 
“I am only as strong as the team around me and the management that puts me in the position to succeed,” said Fogg. “Those are the people that I feel are just as responsible for this award and nomination as I am.”
 

Overcoming a challenging year
 
2020 posed many challenges, however the response from the Rochester community and supporters across the region has been nothing short of inspiring. 
 
“It has been a difficult past year,” said Fogg. “It is a testament to what we have in our area, Western NY in general. We have amazing people that really understand the importance of humanity.”
 
Even with strong turnouts, the need is constant. Especially for blood donations from those who test positive for COVID-19 antibodies. 
 
For COVID-19 survivors, there are two ways to help – through a convalescent plasma donation or by simply giving whole blood. Plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may be used to help COVID-19 patients. Those who have recovered from COVID-19 can sign up to donate convalescent plasma now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/Plasma4COVID.
 
“It is nice to get the chance to speak with them [donors] and watch them go through the experience of a first-time donation,” said Fogg. “We get to make their experience extra special, answer any questions, and remind them that they are doing great things with their blood, literally helping save lives.”
 
Health emergencies don’t pause for holidays, game days or a pandemic – blood is needed every two seconds in the U.S. to help patients battling injury and illness. The Red Cross has teamed up with the NFL to offer those who come to give blood, platelets or  plasma, Jan. 1-31, 2021, a chance to win a getaway to the 2022 Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. Terms apply; visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl for more information.  
 
Appointments can be scheduled through the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting www.RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Story by Nicole Mauro, American Red Cross

Red Cross, NFL partnering during National Blood Donor Month

Cathy Plewinski donates convalescent plasma at the Red Cross Cheektowaga blood donation center

The American Red Cross and the NFL are partnering this January, during National Blood Donor Month, to urge individuals – especially those who have recovered from COVID-19 – to give blood and to help tackle the national convalescent plasma shortage.

The Red Cross has teamed up with the NFL to offer those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma, Jan. 1-31, 2021, a chance to win a getaway to the 2022 Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. As an extra thank-you from the Red Cross, those who come to give Jan. 1-20, 2021, will also be automatically entered to win a Big Game at Home package, which includes a 65-inch television and $500 gift card toward food and fun so their household can enjoy an awesome viewing experience safely at home. Terms apply; visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl for more information.  

Cathy Plewinski of Buffalo is one of the tens of thousands who rolled up a sleeve in 2020 to donate their antibody-rich plasma to help those most critically ill with COVID-19.  “I’ve seen it first hand as a nurse – people getting better from receiving this plasma," she said. "I believe strongly if you’ve had COVID-19 and survived it, you should help anyone else who is in that same predicament.”

  

Two ways COVID-19 survivors can help   

Health emergencies don’t pause for holidays, game days or a pandemic – blood is needed every two seconds in the U.S. to help patients battling injury and illness. As COVID-19 cases have risen across the U.S., so has the need for convalescent plasma – leading to a shortage of this potentially lifesaving blood product.   

  

There are two ways those who have recovered from COVID-19 can make a big difference:  

 

• A convalescent plasma donation: The Red Cross is collecting convalescent plasma at over 170 locations throughout the country. If you’ve recovered from COVID-19, you may be eligible to donate your plasma to help others going through COVID-19 treatment. Fill out the eligibility form to start the process.  

 

• A whole blood donation: Plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may be used to help COVID-19 patients. Make an appointment to give blood by downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).    

  

Kick off the year by making a lifesaving donation this National Blood Donor Month.   

COVID-19 Drives Board Member to Donate Blood After 30-Year Hiatus

WNY Chapter Board Member, Mark Meyerhofer,
donating blood at the Union Road Donation Center
in Cheektowaga in June 2020

Mark Meyerhofer, a Board Member with the American Red Cross, Western New York Chapter, donated blood last month for the first time since he was in high school. He was understandably hesitant throughout the years after fainting the last time around. Now, just over 30 years later, he decided to give it another shot. 

The Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donations to prevent another blood shortage as hospitals resume surgical procedures and patient treatments that were temporarily paused earlier this spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Blood drives continue to be canceled as many businesses and community organizations remain closed, but locations still welcoming donors are taking extensive precautions to help minimize the possibility of exposure and keep donors safe. In other words, there is no better time than now to take action, and Meyerhofer answered the call. 

“Right away, they put you at ease,” said Meyerhofer. “The door is locked when you arrive, someone comes out to escort you, they check your temperature at the door and again when you are doing your screening. They went above and beyond and I want to stress that.”

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control. To ensure the health of staff and donors, precautions include:

• Checking temperatures of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy. 
• Providing hand sanitizer for use before entering the drives, as well as throughout the donation process.
• Following social distancing between donors including entry, donation and refreshment areas.
• Ensuring face masks or coverings are worn by both staff and donors.
• Routinely disinfecting surfaces, equipment and donor-touched areas.

While tens of thousands of donors gave blood in response to an initial blood shortage caused by this coronavirus outbreak, it’s important to remember that red blood cells must be transfused within 42 days of donation and platelets within just five days, so they must constantly be replenished.

In retrospect, Meyerhofer decided to donate at the perfect time. 

“By the time I went to donate, we were at the point of elective surgeries restarting and of course you need blood supply for that,” said Meyerhofer. 

And this time, things went much smoother as his fears of fainting subsided. 

“I am happy to do it, and it was a good experience. I already signed up for my next appointment in August!”

Meyerhofer has held a position on the Red Cross WNY Chapter Board since the fall of 2019. He currently works at Charter Communications in Buffalo, NY as the director of government relations. He began collaborating with the Red Cross when Charter Communications sponsored the Red Cross’ annual Sound the Alarm event in early 2018.

Meyerhofer’s reasons for accepting the board position and donating again go beyond the ramifications of COVID-19. Supporting those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces has always been part of the mission of the Red Cross, and that resonated with Meyerhofer. 

“My father, who passed away almost a year ago, served in the Korean War and he had always talked about his affinity for the Red Cross because they had helped him when he was deployed and needed to get back home to his father who had fallen ill,” said Meyerhofer. “My dad had said all of his life that he would continue to give to the Red Cross until his dying days in return for what they did for him. It was always near and dear to him, therefore there had always been that personal connection for me.”

Meyerhofer encourages anyone who is considering donating, or like himself, has not donated in a long time, to start the conversation and hear others’ experiences. 

“It’s about finding a way to help out and give back,” said Meyerhofer. “I love that you are able to track exactly where your blood goes through the app, it makes it even more rewarding.”

You can download the Red Cross Blood Donor App today and schedule an appointment. As a humanitarian organization, we are committed to helping others in meaningful ways during this pandemic. The Red Cross is testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies to provide donors insight into whether they may have been exposed to this coronavirus. To learn more, visit www.redcrossblood.org.

Story by: Nicole Mauro, American Red Cross

Communications Volunteer

A First Deployment, A New Experience for All

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate the headlines, other emergencies don’t stop, and the American Red Cross remains focused on delivering our lifesaving mission each day. This was demonstrated in early June, when Tropical Storm Cristobal threatened the Gulf Coast of Texas. The Red Cross responded quickly with disaster volunteers from around the country, including three responders from Western New York.

Briana Freeman installing a smoke alarm
as part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign

Briana Freeman was one of these volunteer responders. Briana—or Brie as she is known to her colleagues—is a proud Rochester native and a Regional Preparedness Specialist at the West Henrietta office, close to home. A graduate of Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, Brie has been with the Red Cross for 18 months, including a year serving the organization through AmeriCorps. Cristobal was her first national deployment, and it was a big step. “Being the first one, I probably overpacked a little bit,” she joked.

Brie’s deployment was a change from her regular Red Cross work, which involves working with and teaching alongside area partners to build community resiliency against disasters. Her primary focus is on programs involving citizen preparedness, home fire safety, and the Pillowcase Project for younger children. Brie loves interacting with so many different people of different ages and backgrounds in the community, and hearing their experiences. “I think that’s definitely the most fun part,” she said.

A major deployment to a tropical storm 1500 miles from home is a very different experience, however. Still, Brie jumped at the chance to help and arrived in Houston, Texas on June 5, along with volunteers from around the country. Thanks to COVID-19, however, this deployment was a new kind of experience for volunteers new and old.

When Brie first arrived for work at the local Red Cross headquarters, she had her temperature taken and was required to wear a mask at all times. Social distancing was required, so most of the interactions with her fellow volunteers had to be virtual rather than physical. “That definitely was different to what normally occurs,” she said. The restrictions made the volunteers’ task more challenging, especially in terms of communicating effectively with each other, but they quickly found ways to make it work.

Brie also saw first-hand how rapidly the Red Cross can respond to the changing situation on the ground. Two days into her deployment, when it seemed the storm might make landfall further east, many of the volunteers quickly relocated to Beaumont, Texas, near the Louisiana border. Working in operations, Brie helped facilitate this sudden redeployment. “It was literally done with a couple of hours’ notice,” she noted.

Fortunately, Cristobal’s impact in Texas was less severe than predicted, and the Red Cross did not need to open any shelters. Rather than just packing up and going home right away, the volunteers pivoted to turning the experience into a trial run for how to organize a major disaster deployment in the midst of COVID. “Even though we didn’t actually have to open up any shelters, we acted like we did, and used this as a learning experience because this is so different now from what we normally do,” Brie said.

The deployment also gave Brie an opportunity to work with some veteran volunteers, and she had nothing but good things to say about them. “Everyone was very welcoming,” she insisted, “and they want to do everything they can to teach you as much as possible, and that was such a high point for me.” Although Brie’s shift to operations required a steep learning curve, her two more experienced colleagues quickly took her under their wing. “Although I was only there five days, I felt like I learned easily two weeks to a month’s worth of stuff,” she said.

Having made it through her first deployment, Brie would happily do it all again. “It was a wonderful learning experience that has helped me grow into a better staff member, a better volunteer, and a better person,” she said.

The experience has also made Brie more confident than ever of the organization’s ability to keep doing its job effectively, even in the midst of a pandemic. “The Red Cross, no matter what, is sticking to our mission of helping people in all different situations,” she said, “and while we might be doing our mission a little differently just now, we’re still one hundred percent behind the mission.”

If you’d like to help the Red Cross deliver its lifesaving mission nationwide during this public health emergency, please donate at www.redcross.org. Right now, we have high priority need for volunteers that are willing to work in a shelter if the need arises during this hurricane/wildfire season. If you’d like to consider becoming a volunteer, you can start your journey by filling out an online application at www.redcross.org/volunteer.

Story by: Dougie Bicket, 

American Red Cross Communications Volunteer