ST. LOUIS — More than 200 blood donors packed into Busch Stadium to donate blood on Saturday.
The St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the American Red Cross teamed up to collect donations in the worst blood crisis in over a decade.
"We are down to less than half a days worth of blood for patients in need," said Cindy Rea with the American Red Cross. She blamed inclement weather and the pandemic for impacting recent blood drives.
Still the organization is pleased by the turnout at Busch Stadium and its strong community partnerships.
One face, in particular, stood out. St. Louis police Chief John Hayden said he wanted to send the right message and donate to those in need. The chief said his duty as a first responder and local leader goes beyond the badge.
"We witnessed it first hand with our own officer a couple of weeks ago," Hayden said. "When he arrived at the hospital he didn't have a pulse. They had to do a full transfusion and we are thankful he is doing much better right now.
"I think that certainly for us, as police, this stresses the need. There's also a larger community need. As a leader by example, I try to give the officers an idea of what direction we should be going in."
To donate, visit the American Red Cross to find a nearby location.