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For Mary Sudzina, the Red Cross isn’t just an organization — it’s part of her family story. A proud member of the Tiffany Circle in South Carolina’s Lowcountry Chapter for over 15 years, Mary’s commitment to the mission began at home, grew through lived experience, and continues today through service, philanthropy and community engagement.
Mary’s mother, Ruth, served as a Red Cross nurse and U.S. Army lieutenant during World War II, and that service shaped her family significant ways, including Ruth meeting her future husband, a soldier whom she had treated as a patient. Ruth’s involvement with the Red Cross began as a wartime duty and became a lifelong partnership and powerful example of compassion in action for her family. As a young girl, Mary encountered the Red Cross through first aid and CPR training, never fully realizing how deeply those early connections would influence her life.
Years later, the mission became personal again when Mary’s daughter was living in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. The Red Cross was there, providing food, support and stability in the midst of chaos.
“You don’t always think about the Red Cross, but the Red Cross is always there,” Mary said.
Seeing that presence during a time of crisis reinforced what she already believed: the mission reaches people when they need it most. Mary joined the Tiffany Circle in 2011 and quickly found a community of women united by purpose. “The cause was clear but what really wooed me were the people.”
She described those early gatherings as transformative.
“It was almost palpable,” Mary recalled. “You could actually feel the energy in the room — the deep gratitude and the deep sense of wanting to contribute and make a difference. It gave me chills.”
For Mary, Tiffany Circle represents something larger than any one individual. “It’s bigger than all of us. When you feel like you make a difference, you do make a difference.”
For more than a decade, she has remained committed, not only because she believes deeply in disaster response, blood services, and support to military families but also because of the sisterhood built around shared humanitarian values.
And if you meet Mary, you’ll quickly meet Jack — her beloved Dalmatian. A lifelong dog owner and trainer, Mary has shown five Dalmatians over the years, and Jack remains her constant companion. She understands firsthand that pets are family, which is why she values the Red Cross’s efforts to include animals in disaster preparedness planning.
“When people don’t have to choose between their safety and their animals, more lives can be protected,” she said.
April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, a reminder that emergency planning should include every member of the household. Mary encourages fellow pet owners to download the free Red Cross Pet First Aid app, which offers guidance on emergency care and disaster preparedness for pets.
After 15 years in Tiffany Circle, Mary’s reason for staying involved remains simple and heartfelt: “It is about the Red Cross.” For her, the mission is humanitarian at its core, strengthened by community, compassion and women committed to serving together.
