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Wounded Warriors, Vigilant Volunteers
Red Cross volunteers help make sure wounded soldiers receive the care and attention they need to recover
By Terry Georgia, Special to RedCross.org
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 —
Red Cross volunteer Jay Edwards visits with a wounded soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.(Credit: Hector Emanuel/American Red Cross)
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Walk through a hallway at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and you might see a young mother comforting a restless toddler in her lap as she waits to be fitted with prosthetic legs.
Walk farther and you may see a middle-aged mother guiding her son’s wheelchair through the corridors, worrying that the pain medication in his IV tube is about to run out.
Turn a corner and you might notice a young father testing his new titanium limbs on a climbing wall, encouraging his three-year-old son to follow him to the top.
And in a quiet corner, sitting alone, might be a grandfather remembering his own military career as he waits for his grandson to arrive from the battlefield—in a coma.
Walk almost anywhere in Walter Reed and you’ll see the “Wounded Warriors,” the thousands of men and women who’ve been injured or become ill while deployed to the battlegrounds of Iraq and Afghanistan. To date, almost 7,000 of them have come through the doors of this famed military hospital for treatment, recovery and rehabilitation. Several times each week, the injured are airlifted from overseas and transported to Walter Reed, where they are met at the door by top-notch medical personnel—and American Red Cross volunteers.
Service and Commitment
More than 250 Red Cross volunteers give their time and talents throughout the hospital. Easily visible in bright blue vests with large Red Cross symbols emblazoned across the back, Red Cross volunteers at Walter Reed provide assistance in all areas, from the pharmacy to the physical therapy clinic.
“The Red Cross has been there for every wounded warrior that’s come through our doors,” says Col. Dennis Doyle, the deputy commander for administration at Walter Reed. “That level of service, that level of commitment, carries through the entire process, with Red Cross volunteers assisting the healing process and helping with morale issues.”
“Our volunteers here are awesome, and they are very dedicated,” echoes Dee Swanier, the eastern regional manager for American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF), who coordinates all Red Cross efforts at Walter Reed. “We have people who have been volunteering from 57 years down to a couple of months. They believe in the mission, they believe in what they’re doing, and they love to help the service members.”
To learn more about some of the dedicated Red Cross volunteers who serve military personnel and their families at Walter Reed, click on the links below:
The American Red Cross is not a government agency. We rely on the assistance of caring supporters like you to deliver our critical services. You can support U.S. military members and their families through the American Red Cross as we provide assistance and comfort. Your gift will support the nationally coordinated Red Cross services provided to military families across the country and to American service men and women located throughout the world. Please make a financial donation to Service to Armed Forces by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions may be sent to the American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces, P.O. Box 91820, Washington, DC 20090. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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