6-Year-Old Desperately Seeking Bone Marrow Donor

One local first grader is fighting for his life, and with community support, could very well pull through.

Six-year-old Eduargo Grijalva has battled cancer for more than three years, and he is now in deparate need of a bone marrow donor, his teacher Laura Gonzalez told Patch.

"Eduardo is resilient, intelligent, politive and such a happy child," Gonzalez said over email.

But bone marrow donors are rare. According to the Institute for Justice, Hispanic patients only find bone marrow donors 45 percent of the time, compared to Caucasian patients, who find donors 75 percent of the time.  

"I want to change these odds for my student and all other patients in current need," Gonzalez said.

To help Eduardo find a donor, a bone marrow drive is being held at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 100 Salinas Rd. in Watsonville on April 21 from 9:30-3 p.m. Anyone who shows up can get their cheek swabbed to be added to the national registry, and possibly be a match for Eduardo.

Donors must be between 18 and 44-years-old and all ethnicities are welcome.