At the kitchen table in his parents’ home, Gerard says: “I just drove to mummy for this meeting.” “He always calls me mummy, but I do have a name, you know…,” José laughs, pouring tea. The two are very close and very dedicated to the Netherlands Red Cross. “Gerard infected me with the Red Cross virus. He got me hooked.”
Mother and son ... a very strong bond. In addition to their own family, they also share the Red Cross family. What is that like? Does it change anything? How's that connection? Instead of asking each other questions, as is customary in the Ins and Outs column, they answer our questions. 

Gerard, how would you describe your mother?

“Mummy is the kind of volunteer who wants to do everything, all of it. She is committed to the basic principles of the founder Henri Dunant: providing emergency aid to everyone who needs it. Whether she works a night shift, drinks tea with a refugee or does first aid at an event. She does everything. She is very committed and always ready to help. Which is a good thing for us. All I need to do is simply give her call and she will sacrifice her spare time. Recently, when we were busy with the refugee shelter, my schedule failed me. So, I gave her a call, and there she was.”

Well José, how about that?

“It’s true. I spend a lot of time on the Red Cross. I'm a housewife, swim coach and swim official and join many boards. I don't have time for a permanent job. This is my job.”

Gerard: “Of course we must not abuse her willingness. I bring her flowers every now and then. It’s the least I can do. You need to take good care of your volunteers.”

José, how would you describe Gerard?

“He too is very passionate about his work. He already was as a volunteer, but even more so as a professional. He always wanted to help everyone, even at primary school. The teachers loved him. He was involved and helpful. Obviously, he was a challenging teenager occasionally, but in general he has a strong sense of duty. He does the right thing.”

Do you feel different about Gerard because of the Red Cross?

“For sure. Gerard has become more professional. When I stepped in eleven years ago, he was the experienced adult. He introduced me to the Red Cross world. He is my source of information. Today we share experiences. But in all fairness, I have expanded my horizons because of him. I have many wonderful memories... from the Nijmegen Marches to emergency aid for refugees. I am grateful for introducing me back then. Helping people is a great thing.”
Gerard: “People often assume mummy introduced me. But in our case, it’s the other way round.” 

José, is Gerard still simply your kid?

“Yes, in normal outfits. But I hardly get to see those. He usually wears his Red Cross uniform. 

Gerard, has your relationship with your mother changed?

“We’ve always been close, but we got even closer because of our experiences together. Yes, I get paid for what I do, but I’m still also a volunteer. That doesn’t make me any different from my mother or anyone else. Obviously, my job is exemplary. I have to do the right thing. And yes, sometimes I have more knowledge than those around me. But we are all equal.” 
José: “Gerard has been around for so long, people know exactly who he is. I am so proud of him. He has turned his passion into his job. I think he is good at it. He knows the ins and outs and has a great way of communicating with volunteers. There’s really no need to pamper them all day long, but we are no workers. Some of the staff members forget to cherish their volunteers. Unlike Gerard. I appreciate the flowers he brings me every now and them, but that’s not what this is about.”
Gerard: “Professionals are meant to support the volunteers. They are not working for me, but the people in need.” 

How about other family members?

Gerard: “Oale, my father, is a fulltime carpenter. He is not a volunteer. He does not have the time nor the affinity. He’s simply not the kind of person to join events. He is involved and interested, though, always ready to replace trailer lights and stuff, for example.” 
José: “My youngest son Marcel has signed up as a volunteer. He specialises in logistics during events. He is an emergency response officer at work. He can resuscitate, but does not want to get a first aid certificate. He says: “I’m trying to avoid the Red Cross virus, to save me some time.’”

Do you talk about the Red Cross a lot at home?  

Gerard: “Yes, a lot.”
José: “We go through a lot, and you need each other’s support to process things. For example, in 2015 I was a first-aid worker in Ter Apel for refugees. After a long journey, they collapsed. You help people with scabies, festering wounds from barbed wire, colds. You are there to help out day and night.”
Gerard: “We have dozens of stories so we simply can't stop talking. When the family gets together, like on birthdays, sometimes they ask us to change the subject. It’s not easy, you know, simply because I’m so proud of what we do.”
José: “Offering help is really our passion.”