El Centro Regional Medical Center is scheduled to host a two-day bone marrow drive.

The drive is primarily aimed at helping two young children battling different diseases. The children are both in need of bone marrow transplants. But finding an exact match is very difficult.

Marcos Baltierra, 3, is fighting leukemia. He is receiving chemotherapy treatments at Rady’s Children Hospital. No one in his family was a DNA match. Doctors said if his condition does not improve, a bone marrow transplant would be his last hope for recovery.

Gracie Chavez, 3, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. She receives bi-weekly blood transfusions at UCLA. Doctors believe her body will eventually reject the transfusions and a bone marrow transplant is her best chance at survival.

Both children are of Latin descent, and minorities make up less than %10 of the donor registry.

ECRMC is scheduled to host a two-day bone marrow drive for these children and more the weekend of the 13th-14th. You can donate at 1415 W. Ross Ave, El Centro, CA 92243. It will be held Friday, January 13th from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. (PST) and Saturday, January 14th from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (PST).