TRAUMA SEASON IS HERE
Every year at this time, the need for blood goes up, while blood donations go down.
To combat that, we teamed up with the St. Charles County Ambulance District last Friday for a blood drive to celebrate our Heroes for Life during EMS Week 2026!
The blood drive was designed to support SCCAD’s participation in our pre-hospital transfusion program. We supply blood for to more than 100 hospitals and dozens of EMS operations in our four-state footprint.
“Pre-hospital delivery of blood products is cutting-edge treatment,” said SCCAD Chief Medical Officer David K. Tan, M.D. “Prompt delivery of these vital blood components for patients in these dire situations will contribute to improved outcomes.”
Meanwhile, we joined representatives of SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital and Stop the Bleed for a special promotional event last Thursday at the annual blood drive on the campus of SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital.
It took place on Stop The Bleed Day 2026 – a date promoted by the Department of Defense and the Stop The Bleed Coalition to encourage widespread bleeding control training and awareness. May is generally recognized as National Stop the Bleed Month, with the main day focused on empowering bystanders to control severe bleeding.
Uncontrolled bleeding is a major cause of preventative deaths. Approximately 40% of trauma-related deaths worldwide are due to bleeding or its consequences, establishing hemorrhage as the most common cause of preventable death in trauma. The work you do here is helping to save lives.
UPDATES TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we're grateful for the support of community leaders who make up our Board of Directors. At this week’s Board meeting, we recognized the service of two longtime members who are now leaving the Board.
- Tracy Poelvoorde, Ph.D., R.N., Chancellor of Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences (9 years as a Board member)
- Nathan Sondgeroth, J.D., Executive Director of the Vera French Foundation (13 years as a Board member, including a term as Board Chair)
The Board of Directors supports the long-term success of our organization by setting strategic direction and by providing financial oversight, ensuring our teams have the resources we need to provide a safe and sufficient blood supply for patients, hospitals, and communities we serve.
LEADERS FOR LIFE MAKE THEIR MARK
More than 600 high school students across our region earned our Student Impact Award this year, making it a record-breaking year for one of our most inspiring programs.
With more than 100 more students receiving the award compared to last year, these Leaders for Life are proving that the next generation of lifesavers is already making a difference in our communities. Through donating blood, recruiting donors, coordinating school drives, and volunteering their time, they all stepped up to make sure blood is available for patients when they need it most.
These achievements would not be possible without the dedication and hard work of our team members who mentor, encourage, and partner with students throughout the school year. From organizing drives and supporting student coordinators to building lasting relationships with schools, our teams help create meaningful opportunities for young people to lead through service.
Together, we're building a culture of community impact and empowering the next generation to put compassion into action, one donation at a time.