St. Louis
Pediatric Specialty Care
Orthopaedics
Pediatric Specialty Care
Orthopaedics
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St. Louis Cardinal's Joe Thurston Brings Fall Fun to Kids
November 3, 2009
In mid October, two Shriners Hospitals for Children— St. Louis patients had the opportunity to hang out with St. Louis Cardinals infielder, Joe Thurston. Thurston invited patients, along with their families, for an afternoon of fall fun at local farm. The day included a hayride, picnic and an opportunity to play catch with the major league baseball player. Dakota Steffens, a Shriners Hospitals for Children patient and a big Cardinals fan, drilled Thurston with questions such as, “What do you eat for breakfast?” and “What’s your family like?”
Thurston also spent some one-on-one time with patient Andrew Willson (pictured, left) and taught him how to throw and catch a baseball. “It was cool,” says Andrew. “I learned how to catch a baseball from Joe Thurston. It’s like catching a fly with your bare hands.”
Thurston was so touched by the kids and so impressed by the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children, that he asked to come back to help our patients celebrate an early Halloween. The party, hosted by Spirit Halloween’s Spirit of Children program, featured costumes, decorations, pumpkin decorating and games. Thurston joined in the fun and donned a costume hat, signed each decorated pumpkin, and played a game of Halloween Bingo. “It was cool getting to meet and hang out with Joe Thurston,” said Josh Davis, a patient at the hospital. “Everyone in my family cheers for the Cubs, but I like the Cardinals.”
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