Thank you for your unwavering service and dedication to our mission

Linda Fahey, chief nurse for the American Red Cross, issued the following to recognize our nurses during National Nurses Week:

“As we celebrate Nurses Week alongside our colleagues, I want to bring our achievements into focus by first remembering those who came before us. National Nurses Day has only been officially recognized since 1982 when President Ronald Reagan designated May 6 as National Nurses Day. However, the American Red Cross nursing legacy extends much farther back.

“Many of us know that Clara Barton served as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War before founding the American Red Cross. Fewer may know that beginning in 1887, she led teams of volunteers operating field hospitals during annual U.S. Army maneuvers in Washington, D.C.

“In the organization’s early years, Red Cross nurses worked tirelessly to combat yellow fever in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1889, they responded to the devastating Johnstown, Pennsylvania flood which killed more than 2,000 people and left 25,000 homeless.

Read more about Red Cross nurses here.

WARTIME SERVICE “In 1898, Red Cross nurses provided their first wartime assistance to the U.S. military, recruiting more than 700 nurses during the Spanish-American War. During World War I, over 23,000 Red Cross nurses served both at home — caring for patients during the Spanish flu epidemic — and in military settings overseas.

“That number grew significantly during World War II, when 153,000 nurses held active status with the American Red Cross, including 71,000 who served in the military. In 1941, the Red Cross launched its blood supply program for the armed services; by 1944, more than 1,000 nurses were serving in Red Cross blood centers nationwide.

“Following World War II, the federal government established permanent Army and Navy Nurse Corps, ending the Red Cross’s role in recruiting nurses for military service. Although expansion of government public health programs also led the Red Cross to conclude its public health nursing service, our impact did not end.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE TODAY “Red Cross nurses continue to provide disaster health services to individuals and communities affected by floods, fires, hurricanes and mass casualty events. More than 180 employed nurses deliver direct clinical care within Therapeutic and Cellular Services, while many others serve as volunteer nurses in military treatment facilities around the world and in leadership positions across the enterprise.

“Every day over the past year, they made a difference while providing care under some of the most challenging circumstances — from the Texas floods and widespread fires across the West to a typhoon in Alaska, and, most recently, a typhoon in the Northern Mariana Islands, more than 3,700 miles from Hawaii.

Disaster Health Services team contributed 156,000+ volunteer hours in last year

“As we celebrate Nurses Week, it is important to remember that nurses never work alone. Our interdisciplinary teams — including physicians, EMS professionals, social workers, psychologists, mental health counselors and many other health professionals — are essential partners in this mission. Since our last Nurses Week celebration in May 2025, our Disaster Health Services team has contributed more than 156,000 volunteer hours. Physicians, social workers, and mental health professionals were recognized during March and April, and Emergency Medical Services Week will be celebrated May 17–23.

“As Chief Nurse of the American Red Cross, and on behalf of our entire organization, thank you for your unwavering service and dedication to our mission. I look forward to continuing this important work together.”