My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Susan Demetri

Susan Demetri began her journey with the American Red Cross in the summer of 1990, shortly after the loss of her little grand daughter, Amy, who was a preemie and only with the family for two months. Susan recalls that she “quickly became aware that my heart was guiding me to use the grief I was feeling in a beneficial way.” The opportunity to volunteer at the Mother/Baby Unit at the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, then the DeWitt Hospital, became a catalyst for her healing. 

As a career military wife whose children had grown up and moved away, Susan wanted to help make becoming a new mom as easy as she could for other women, in any way that she could. Susan states, “In the nearly 25 years that I have been blessed to be with the unit, I have met some of the most incredible people. I learned so much that I wish I had known when my babies were little, I passed along some of the knowledge I gained from nurturing my own children to an estimated 25,000 mothers, and I enjoyed the feeling of being part of a team that strives to make parenthood the blessing it is intended to be.”  

Susan expresses gratitude to the American Red Cross for giving her this life-changing opportunity, and the hope that she will be able to continue on “at least for a few more years.” Susan’s caring, comfort and sharing of her knowledge and experience with new mothers and their babies represent the best characteristics of American Red Cross volunteers.

Currently, Susan volunteers with our Service to the Armed Forces team as an Impatient Volunteer at Mother Baby Unit at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. To learn more about how you can help nurture your community please visit redcross.org/volunteer.