the canadian red cross society

The Canadian Red Cross SocietyAuthor(s): H. W. Coates and T. WatsonSource: Canadian Journal of Public Health / Revue Canadienne de Sante'e Publique, Vol. 61, No.6 (November/December 1970), pp. 540-543Published by: Canadian Public Health AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41984904 .

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Profiles of Canadian Health Agencies

The Canadian Red Cross Society H. W. Coates1 and T. Watson2

T'HE Canadian Red Cross Society, the largest voluntary organization in the health

and welfare field in Canada, has been involved in the exciting and challenging job of helping to meet the health needs of the citizens of a rapidly growing country for over 60 years.

How it Began The Society began in 1896 as the first

overseas branch of the British Red Cross So- ciety and was incorporated in 1909 by an Act of the Canadian Parliament as the Cana- dian Red Cross Society. However, the new Society continued to be affiliated with the British Red Cross Society until November 1927 when the Canadian Society was recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross as an independent national society.

That is the story of its official beginning, but, in fact, the first time the Red Cross went to work in Canada was on the plains of Sas- katchewan during the rebellion led by Louis Riel in 1885. Then the Red Cross Corps organized a team of hospital surgeons and graduates in medicine to tend to the wounded of both forces. This seems a more befit- ting start for an organization which was initially intended to bring relief, impartially, to those wounded in battle.

Purpose and Objectives As set forth in its charter, the purposes of

the Society are summarized as follows: "To furnish volunteer aid to the sick and wounded of armies in time of war, in accordance with the Treaty of Geneva and in time of

1. Information Officer, Canadian Red Cross Society, 95 Wellesley Street East, Toronto 5, Ontario.

2. National Director of Public Relations, Canadian Red Cross Society, 95 Wellesley Street East, Toronto 5, Ontario.

peace or war, to carry on and assist in work for the improvement of health, the preven- tion of disease, and the mitigation of suffering throughout the world."

The Society's peacetime purpose came into being directly after World War I when the members of the Society sensed the possible contribution the Society could make in the general health and welfare field in Canada. Since that time, the Red Cross has pioneered many services and programs that are national in scope, as well as many others designed to meet specific needs in individual communities.

It became basic policy for the Red Cross to support programs where needs existed so long as the programs were within the terms of its charter and the limits of its resources. Also the Red Cross realized it must be pre- pared to relinquish programs to community or other permanent sponsors when they ex- hibit the ability to take over and operate them. For this reason, many of the programs which Red Cross initiated have long since been turned over to other agencies or government branches.

Blood Transfusion Service Experience gained in blood transfusion

work through the war years led to the inau- guration of the Red Cross blood transfusion service in 1947. In an article in the August 1965 issue of the Canadian Journal of Pub- lic Health, George W. Miller, B.A., M.D., D.P.H., outlined the history and development of this nation-wide service which today supplies blood and blood components to Canadi- an hospitals for the treatment of more than 235,000 patients each year.

Because of the continuous research and progress being made in the medical profes- sion, Red Cross laboratories have been busy

540



trying to develop more efficient processes and discover more of the mystery of the 'mir- acle fluid'. Between 1965 and 1968 many ad- vances were made in the processing of blood and separating it into blood components. More recently, there has been much work done on the use of autoanalyzers and a con- version from bottles to plastic blood packs to permit better use of blood, blood components and plasma derivatives. Another major inno- vation was the entering into a co-operative program with the federal and provincial de- partments of health for the production of Rh Immune Globulin for the treatment of hae- molytic disease of the newborn. Still more recently a decision was taken to investigate the possibility of screening all blood donors for the australian antigen and so eliminate the possibility of passing on serum hepatitis to patients who receive blood transfusions.

Nursing The field of nursing is another area where

the role of Red Cross has definitely been felt in Canada. As far back as 1916, the Sas- katchewan Division of the Red Cross took partial responsibility for investigating and financing the training of nursing housekeepers. The need for these so-called practical nurses was obvious. The war had left the country severely short of nurses and an influenza epi- demic broke out in 1918. By 1920, it became evident that there was a need for a professional nursing service and out-post hospitals and nursing stations were opened in several provinces. In the same year, the Canadian Red Cross was responsible for the establish- ment and the financing, either wholly or in part, of courses in public health nursing in five Canadian universities.

Shortly after World War I the Red Cross adopted several initial objectives in the area of nursing. These included forming a national registration of nurses to cope with emergency situations, and encouraging more women to take professional training by offer- ing many scholarships for nursing students. At the same time, the Red Cross was ex- tremely active in encouraging universities and other institutions to establish nursing de- partments and special courses for nurses' aides including first aid and home economics programs.

The Canadian Red Cross Society's home nursing program, which began in 1923, is today the largest of the Red Cross nursing services. Through its program, thousands of Ca-

nadians have been taught basic nursing skills and have learned how to meet home emer- gencies with assurance and confidence.

Although many of the Red Cross services which grew up with the home nursing program have gradually been taken over by provincial governments and other organizations, there are those such as the sickroom equip- ment loan service and the homemaker service which the Red Cross continues to provide as part of the health program for Canada.

Red Cross Youth The second largest Canadian Red Cross

program is Red Cross Youth which has ap- proximately 915,000 Canadian school children participating in health education and international assistance.

Red Cross is continually developing new projects to meet the needs of youth while of- fering the young people the opportunity to develop programs to meet their own needs. Their projects range from the youth team which has worked with the Jamaica Red Cross Society helping to establish health education, water safety and first aid programs for Jamaican children, to the several pilot ur- ban welfare projects undertaken during the summer of 1970 in Canada.

Red Cross Youth has also supplied financial assistance for medical, dental and recreational projects for Canadian children. This assistance in 1969 totalled more than $265,- 000 with $70,000 of that total going for development and disaster aid to help youth in other countries.

In the early 1920's, medical, hospital and educational facilities for the care of handi- capped children were relatively scarce. Red Cross Youth (then the Junior Red Cross) was quick to respond to this need. Through their "nickel and dime" contributions at classroom Red Cross meetings and funds raised by special youth projects, they managed to finance the building of the 156 bed Alberta Red Cross Crippled Children's Hospital. Since then, similar projects have been undertaken in other provinces in co-operation with provincial hospital authorities.

In some provinces, orthopaedic and dental clinics were initially established through the efforts of Red Cross Youth. Today, several Red Cross Youth-sponsored mobile dental clinics are operating between Canadian towns and communities and, in Quebec and Sas- katchewan, there are Red Cross Youth-spon-

sored speech therapy clinics.

November/ December 1970 Canadian Health Agencies 541



Water Safety Water safety is the third largest of the Red

Cross services and the most rapidly growing one. Here Red Cross intentions are to edu- cate and train Canadians in basic swimming and life saving skills so that they will be safety conscious in, on and around the water. In 1970, more than 800,000 persons will partici- pate in this training through the combined efforts of the Red Cross and the Royal Life Saving Society.

Services for Armed Forces Red Cross services for armed forces per-

sonnel and veterans have gradually tapered off as the need has decreased during peacetime. However, the Society still operates several Red Cross lodges and veterans' lounges in co-operation with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. Recreational therapy is supplied for the veterans by means of arts and crafts workshops in the lodges.

Emergency Measures and Relief Services The Canadian Red Cross is one of the

many agencies linked with the Emergency Measures Organization in case of a major Ca- nadian disaster but the Red Cross also plays an important role in assisting with personal disasters such as home fires. This work is done in the communities by local Red Cross branches and divisions where assistance from municipal authorities or other welfare organizations is not available. The policy of the So- ciety is to serve the immediate needs of the victims until long term rehabilitation assistance can be found.

Through the Red Cross women's work program thousands of women are engaged in making bedding and clothing for relief assistance. In 1969, more than 400,000 handmade articles were shipped for emergency relief to 26 countries. In addition, over 36,000 items were distributed in Canada with 20,000 of them going to the victims of fires in the home and other disasters.

International Organization One of the most difficult but challenging

Red Cross tasks is the international aid program in time of disaster and the coordination of assistance for the development of other countries. To accomplish this Red Cross effort efficiently all international requests for aid are handled through the League of Red Cross Societies headquarters in Geneva. It was through the League that a series of Red

Cross warehouses were located at strategic positions around the world so that if disaster strikes, supplies are ready gathered and relatively close. A League team of disaster assistance specialists is also sent to survey the disaster site and make recommendations regard- ing what the immediate needs are and in what quantity supplies are needed. League officials will then act on this information by issuing appeals to national societies that are best suited to help, either by supplying addi- tional material or personnel. The League maintains various advisory committees and a standing finance commission to study all questions concerning Red Cross development work in many countries, relief, medico-social programs, nursing, Red Cross Youth and finance. In this way, developing countries are aided in establishing a strong national Red Cross Society to do assistance work in their own countries.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a Swiss-based organization made up entirely of Swiss persons and acts as a neutral intermediary between opposing par- ties during war, civil war or internal strife. The ICRC is an independent and private in- stitution which is recognized by international law. During conflicts, ICRC delegates inspect detention centers and the treatment and conditions of prisoners. How it is Organized

The basic organizational structure of the Canadian Red Cross Society consists of a national headquarters, ten provincial divisions and 957 community branches in towns and cities across the country.

The overall governing body of the Canadi- an Red Cross is the Central Council whose 58 members include three elected by each of the provincial divisions, and 28 co-opted members who are elected by the 30 provin- cially-chosen members. The officers of the Society and the members of the National Ex- ecutive Committee are elected from and by the Central Council. Ultimate control of Central Council, therefore, rests with the provincial divisions through their ability to elect Council members and, in fact, with the "grass-roots", the branches, which, in the final analysis, control the divisions.

The National Commissioner is the chief executive staff officer of the Central Council and of the National Executive Committee. His responsibilities are to co-ordinate between their meetings and to represent the Ca-

542 Canadian Journal of Public Health Vol. 61



nadian Red Cross Society in international efforts.

How it is Financed In 1969, the Society was supported finan-

cially as follows: 33 per cent from United Appeal campaigns, eight per cent from Red Cross fund raising campaigns, 36.2 per cent from governmental reimbursements, 19.8 per cent from fees and related revenues and three per cent from investments and miscellaneous sources.

Budgeting Budget proposals, which must be consist-

ent with Red Cross policy, are originated by branches, divisions and the national headquarters. They are reviewed at all levels by both staff and volunteers and consolidated at divisional and national offices. The final re- view is carried out by the National Budget Committee which submits the recommended budget to Central Council for final approval. In addition to a thorough system of prepar- ing, reviewing and approving budgets, the Red Cross secures close adherence to budget- ary requirements at all levels, controls the expenditures in terms of approved budgets, and in addition, moves rapidly to adjust expendi-

tures to levels consistent with actual cam- paign results.

The Record and the Challenge The Canadian Red Cross in its sixty years

has had a commendable record of serving the Canadian public. As it moves into the 1970's, the Society will, no doubt, be faced with many new and challenging problems in this rapidly changing world. It will remain a vital agency only as long as it can adapt to the changing needs of the Canadian public. With this in mind, long range planning is under way by the Society to evaluate and up-date existing programs and seek out new areas where it can serve.

In working to achieve its objectives of im- proving health, preventing disease, and re- lieving suffering throughout the world, the Society has had the active support of count- less concerned citizens across Canada. With- out such efforts by volunteers, the Canadian Red Cross Society could not have achieved the success it has had with its programs and services. With the continued support and in- terest of volunteers, the Red Cross can look forward in the future to serving the needs of more and more people at home and abroad.

JOURNAL FLASHBACK

April 1932

EDITORIAL: How Can Public Money Be Saved?

At no time since the Association was formed, not even during the War, have general conditions required such strenuous effort under the handicap of restricted public health budgets. Where and how can public money be spent best? Where and how can public money be saved best? Even those in the field, who formerly escaped much of the responsibility for the financial outlay involved, are now face to face with these questions. The urgency of conditions demands that expenditures be kept at a minimum while the maximum in results is necessary if the public health is even to be maintained at its present standard. There are no funds available for new under- takings, the need for which is evident and the return for the expenditure assured. Even established programmes are in grave danger of being curtailed. Every expenditure, small and large, every public health activity, calls for discriminating judgment, a judgment based on fact rather than impressions. And yet how difficult it is to array these very facts for appraisal of values while the question awaits decision.

November/ December 1970 Canadian Health Agencies 543



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