On a recent snowy Saturday afternoon, I had the  pleasure  to video call with the mother-daughter team of Juniper Mui and her mother Jane Chan. Although we have a number of husband and wife teams throughout the Red Cross organization, this is the first mother-daughter pair I have met personally.

Getting Started as Volunteers

Motivated by a desire to volunteer in 2023, Juniper and Jane looked for opportunities at a number of different organizations.  The American Red Cross was the only possibility for Juniper, since  she was underage at the time.  Originally, the duo intended to volunteer for the summer as blood donor ambassadors, but they enjoyed their volunteer roles so much that they decided to continue year ‘round. 

Juniper and Jane belong to the Delaware Valley Chapter.  They serve at Red Cross Blood Donation Centers in West Chester and Horsham. Jane is a financial analyst; daughter Juniper is a high school student. Despite their busy schedules, they truly enjoy their time together greeting, registering, orienting, and guiding blood donors toward post-donation drinks and snacks.  They are a reassuring presence for novice donors. 

As blood  donor ambassadors,  they are the welcoming faces at the blood donation centers.  They answer questions or contact Red Cross collections team professionals onsite to get quick answers. Juniper  recalled a time when another mother-daughter pair tried to donate blood together, but the daughter was underage.  The young women was gracefully declined, but was assured that she would be able to donate blood in the future.  During our chat, I could not help but notice that Juniper and Jane are so in tune with each other, in a very natural way, that they finish each other’s sentences.

What Motivates Juni and Jane to Continue Volunteering

In any conversation among Red Cross volunteers, the question eventually comes up—‘Why do you volunteer?” Both mother and daughter answered the question clearly:

• They want to give back to the community with a sense of gratitude.
• Volunteering makes them feel good.
• The Red Cross community of volunteers is generous and welcoming.
• Community engagement is important during a time of economic and political uncertainty.

As a parent, Jane says that "Volunteering helps me see my daughter differently"and "Understand her personality from a different perspective.” Juniper sees her volunteer role as “A learning experience opportunity to care for others.” She is focused on “Staying in the moment” for a most fulfilling time spent as a blood donor ambassador.  Also she likes working in tandem with her mother to pass the time and  the benefit of knowing her  personality.

An Active Family Life

Jane and Juniper have the active support of a loving husband and father who helps with cooking and other household chores. “We try to balance everyone’s needs in the family," Jane said, which also includes a younger daughter.  It may seem like a juggling act sometimes, but Jane says this sense of balance works well for her family.  Add in the three family tabby cats—Boots, Pluto, and Benedict—and you get a good picture of a happy and active family life.  In fact, Pluto quietly attended our video call while snuggling in Juniper’s arms, and graciously accepted pets from Jane during our conversation.

Future Plans

As champions for volunteering with the Red Cross,  Juniper and Jane say they will continue to serve as blood donor ambassadors, helping in whatever way that they can. Juniper intends to recruit her little sister as a volunteer as she becomes older. At this point, Juniper has expressed an interest in engineering classes.  However, she is still considering options for college and majors. Jane is proud of her family and will continue to encourage her daughters’ ongoing  community engagement.

Thank you, Juniper and Jane, for sharing your Red Cross story!  Your support of the blood donor community is highly inspirational, especially during a time of critical need for blood, platelets and plasma.

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- Written by Maureen Zug