Could You Be a "Match" for Bella? Bone Marrow Drive Friday in Belford

Isabella “Bella” Ward is a three-year-old little girl from Middletown with a rare form of Leukemia called APML, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

She spent 41 consecutive days in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and makes frequent trips to the New Jersey Cancer Center for clinic visits. Bella has had three bone marrow biopsies to date and her cancer is still not in remission. Her oncologist believes she will need a bone marrow transplant in the near future.

Bella needs your help. On Friday, April 4, 2014, from 5 to 8 p.m., her family and friends are hosting a “Match for Bella” Event at Bayview Elementary School in Belford, NJ, to try to find her donor. Testing to see if you are a possible match for Bella or someone else consists of a simple cheek swab inside your mouth.

There will be pizza for everyone and bracelets and baked goods for sale. Come support Bella Ward on Friday, April 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Bayview School, 300 Leonardville Road, Belford, NJ 07718. Help find a “Match for Bella.” People interested in being swabbed must be between 18 and 44 years of age.