By Jayce Eustice, Communications Manager for the Illinois Red Cross

For Don Mewes, service has never been a single chapter of his life — it’s been the throughline for the Marine veteran, cancer survivor, public servant and longtime American Red Cross volunteer. 

Throughout his service, Don has never seen himself as extraordinary; instead, he chooses to see himself as useful and dedicated. And in times of crisis, these characteristics make all the difference for those in need. 

“I like to think of myself as a problem solver,” Don said. “And if you can’t solve a problem, at least be part of the solution.” 

That philosophy has guided Don through some of the hardest moments of his life — and straight into the situations where his help is needed most. 

Sixteen years ago, before joining the Red Cross, Don’s life faced a crossroads when he went to what should have been routine medical checkup with the VA — shortly after he received a call with alarming news. 

“They called me at ten o’clock at night and told me I needed to go to the emergency room,” he said. His bloodwork had shown dangerously high white blood cell counts, and Don was quickly told that he had leukemia. 

“That was a dark day,” Don said plainly. 

Doctors laid out two treatment options — a bone marrow transplant with a 50 percent survival rate or a then-new daily chemotherapy pill that had seen positive results but no long-term guarantees. Don and his wife made their decision in under a minute; they opted for the daily pill. 

“It took me and my wife about thirty seconds to make that decision,” Don said. “That was sixteen years ago, and I’m still here.” 

Today, Don remains in remission, still taking a daily pill. He credits the VA for catching the illness early and caring for him ever since.  

For Don, dealing with cancer didn’t slow him down; If anything, it sharpened his sense of purpose. 

Inspired to get involved in helping others, Don began volunteering with the American Red Cross in 2017, and it didn’t take long before he was deploying across the country. From Alaska to Tennessee to the Virgin Islands, he’s responded wherever help was needed most. 

In the aftermath of a hurricane in the Virgin Islands, Don found himself working in conditions that were anything but comfortable. 

“They put us on the ground and said, ‘Here’s a pickup truck; go,’” he remembers. “We didn’t even have Red Cross vehicles on the island.” 

With windows blown out and neighborhoods just cleared by bulldozers, Don and other volunteers loaded trucks with water, bleach, meals ready to eat and garbage bags before going door to door delivering supplies and hope to those in need. 

“We just canvassed neighborhoods and gave them out,” Don said. “It was great work. It wasn’t glamorous, it wasn’t easy, but it mattered.” 

For Don, helping doesn’t end when a deployment does. Back home in the Quad Cities, Don is an active member of his local chapter serving as a dedicated Disaster Volunteer who has helped provide several services including sheltering, logistics, distribution of emergency supplies and nearly anything else that is asked of him. 

Don doesn’t volunteer for praise. In fact, he’s quick to direct it elsewhere. But he understands the power of stories; especially when they inspire others to act. 

“You hear people complain all the time,” Don said. “I always say, ‘Get out and do something.’ You can’t just complain on social media without going out there.” 

That mindset is exactly what makes Volunteers like Don so important to the Red Cross Mission. He doesn’t claim to have all the answers, instead he shows up ready to work, ready to listen, and always ready to help. 

“No one expects anybody to show up with all the answers,” Don said. “We’re going to get to the solution together.” 

Don is living proof that service isn’t about perfection, recognition or titles — it’s about presence. It’s about using whatever skills you have, wherever you are, to make things a little better for someone else. 

Whether it’s answering the call of neighbors in need or traveling across the country to deliver care where it’s needed most; Don embodies what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself. 

And his message is simple: “If you can’t solve the problem, at least be part of the solution.” 

Sign up to be a part of the solution in our community by joining us at RedCross.org/Volunteer.