By: Maureen Kearny, American Red Cross Volunteer
When I spoke with Barb Wharton about doing a profile piece about her work with the American Red Cross, she replied, "There are certainly other nurses more deserving than me."
But Barb says as she was growing up in southern Idaho, "I knew I wanted a career where I could be useful and of service." In high school, Barb volunteered as a candy-striper and then went on to become a nurse’s aide. After those experiences, Barb was sure that she wanted to be a nurse.
Following graduation from nursing school in Oregon in 1973, Barb joined the Army and traveled to Washington, D.C., where she began her nursing career caring for soldiers returning from the Vietnam War.
Barb practiced every type of nursing — clinical, administrative, home health, and ICU. Before retiring in 2017, she led a local program with Hospice, creating the first Palliative Care Program in the Spokane area.
Not fully content with retirement, Barb eventually felt she needed to get involved again in something with a purpose. On the advice of a friend, she joined the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Program. She soon discovered that this program fulfilled her goals of being needed and of use. She traveled the globe and participated in more than 40 disaster responses, satisfying her love of adventure and excitement.
Barb was part of the 2017 disaster team which responded to the eruption of the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The volcano was venting steam and spewing lava. There was only one exit road for residents, and the emergency response team instructed the island’s people to prepare to evacuate immediately.
A single woman, living alone except for the constant companionship of her cat, refused to evacuate. An emergency relief worker calmly informed her that someone would notify the family of her death; only then did she reluctantly agree to leave. This woman was destitute, without any of her belongings and her beloved cat.
"I was with her constantly for the next few days as her guide in the aftermath of this disaster,” says Barb. “I found her shelter, saw to her physical needs, ensured access to her medications, and helped her connect with her family. I listened, provided emotional support, encouraged her to have hope, and assured her she was not alone. This experience made me realize, at the deepest part of my being, the devastating effect disasters have on another human being's life — physical, emotional, and financial."
Barb has postponed her disaster relief role for now to accept an employee role with the Red Cross, working on a special project to update and refresh Disaster Mental Health services to reflect today's needs. "With the increase in disasters and fewer staff, we must ensure continuous response," she says.
After all her years with the Red Cross, Barb Wharton deserves recognition for her impressive record of service and caring. Thank you, Barb!
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