KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A group of friends that dates back to high school all needed a blood transfusion at some point in their lives.
Adam Calvert needed blood when he was being treated for cancer, Katie Pino when she experienced complications during labor and delivery, Katie Bredemeier when she had HELLP syndrome during her pregnancy, causing her liver to rupture.
"I was internally bleeding and so needed a lot of blood and blood products to save my life," Bredemeier said.
Now the three friends and their spouses put on an annual blood drive to pay it forward. They share their stories with their coworkers and friends, encouraging them to donate blood.
"You just never know when someone's going to need blood and you hope that there is enough blood in supply to save their life when needed," Bredemeier shared.
The blood drive ran from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Northland Mission Church. They hold it in December because blood donations typically slow down due to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
"All three of us are extremely grateful that people were willing to give up their time and to donate, because had people not ... we wouldn't all three be here," Bredemeier said. "Especially myself and my friend Katie. Ours was during COVID. So we were definitely grateful that the donations were there and that we were able to receive donations during that time."
If you are interested in donating blood or hosting a blood drive, visit the Red Cross' website.
