By Jessica Hillenbrand, American Red Cross of Colorado, Public Affairs
This May and every May, we celebrate National Nurses Month! Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has never been a more critical time to honor our Nation’s nurses, especially the nurses who serve with the American Red Cross!
Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross spent most of her early years as a nurse, gathering basic supplies and food for soldiers. In 1864, she was appointed the “lady in charge” of the hospitals by the Union Army.
After the war, Clara recognized an intense need for more service but was exhausted from years in the military. Taking a trip to Europe, she met with Dr. Appia in Geneva, Switzerland and learned about the Red Cross. Inspired by the group’s work outside of general disasters, Clara spent five years (1873-1878) advocating for the branch to be opened in the United States. After years of pushback, Clara Barton’s efforts were finally successful, and on May 21, 1881, the American Red Cross was born.
Since 1881, nurses have been vital members of the Red Cross. The foundation of our nurses’ program can be attributed to the efforts of Jane Delano.
Jane was born in 1867 near Townsend, New York. At a young age, Jane knew that she wanted to become a nurse and enrolled in the Bellevue Training School for Nurses. After graduating in 1886, she worked her way up through multiple hospital organizations to the superintendent of nurses at the University of Pennsylvania. She was introduced to the American Red Cross during the Spanish-American Civil War of 1898, where she joined as a member of the New York Chapter. Her efforts brought nursing into the spotlight, encouraging the medical field to accept nurses as full-time members of the profession. Through her efforts, the American Red Cross became the officially recognized reserve for the Army, Navy and Public Health Service.
After retiring from the Army Corps, Jane went on to volunteer full-time for the Red Cross. Her even more extraordinary efforts brought in over 8,000 nurses for the start of World War I. After her death, a bronze memorial featuring the draped figure of a graceful woman with hands extended to show a nurse’s readiness to serve was erected at the Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington D.C.
Today, Clara’s mission and Jane’s efforts are upheld by over 20,000 American Red Cross nurses across the country. Red Cross nurses help in various situations such as disaster relief after natural disasters, teaching courses in-home nursing and nutrition, blood drives and national health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. It is because of our fantastic nurse volunteers that the Red Cross still stands today.
We would be nothing without our nurses, and for that, the Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming would love to thank you for your service and a very Happy Nurses Month!