National Nurses Week

As we celebrate National Nurses Week [May 6 – 12] we share our gratitude and appreciation for the health care workers who are on the front lines during a pandemic. We want to show a little extra love to those who help volunteer for the Texas Gulf Coast. Meet a few of the nurses from each of our chapter areas:

Bruce Wilson

An active volunteer for the past 10 years, Wilson serves as the Disaster Health Services Lead for the South Texas chapter and has stepped up for every disaster response that has affected that area.

During last June’s Rio Grande Valley flood, he worked with local emergency managers and public health officials and led the Disaster Health Services team members to deliver quality care.

Dawna Anderson

For nearly four years, Anderson has participated in every aspect of Disaster Nursing from Integrated Condolence Care Teams to Virtual Client Casework to Staff Wellness to working a disaster response.  In the last 12 months alone, she has been on call for nearly 700 hours!

Gigi Rostomily

Gigi has been volunteering just shy of two years.

She actively participates on-scene in every big disaster response in the Texas Gulf Coast, from Hurricane Harvey to the Santa Fe Shooting to the Atlas Cargo Plane Crash.  

Dora Derouen

A wonderful mentor in the Deep East and North Coast chapter area and frequently supports new nurses during disaster responses.

In addition to supporting nursing activities, Derouen is a longtime member of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team and has been volunteering since 2008.

Jan Umphrey

Umphrey has a strong commitment to the Red Cross. Although she works part-time, she still averages 65 volunteer hours a month!

Janet Newman

Newman is part of the Coastal Bend chapter and has logged over 4,000 hours as a virtual on-call Disaster Health Services volunteer.

She has also helped support sister regions Central and South Texas and North Texas. She is instrumental in making sure that we do not miss any cases resulting in the highest national success rate in responding to client needs! 

Nancy Meidinger

Meidinger has been volunteering for over 65 years – yes that is no mistake!!!!  In that time, she has held a myriad of leadership roles at the regional, state and division levels and continues to participate in and influence our Texas Gulf Coast Regional Health Services Program. 

Paula Stangeland

With more than 15 years as an active nursing volunteer, Stangeland is no stranger to leadership. She been the State Nurse Leader, Disaster Health Services Lead for Central Coast and has served as a Health Services instructor. 

Robert Trout

With a little more than two years under his belt, Trout has shown himself to be an asset to the Red Cross Mission. From the moment he joined he has demonstrated a willingness to step up “whenever needed” for “whatever is needed.”  He is currently the Inland Territory Disaster Health Services Lead.

If you are a healthcare worker and would like to join the ranks of the Red Cross Health Services team please visit: https://www.redcross.org/local/texas/gulf-coast/volunteer.html

Prepared by, Ekland Durousseau, Red Cross contributor