Bone marrow drive being held at Frisco school to help student battling leukemia in need of transplant

FRISCO, Texas - The Frisco community is rallying behind a high school student who is fighting leukemia, and needs a bone marrow transplant before he can get better.

So his school is helping him find a match.

William Earl Rose Junior -- also known as E.J. -- is battling two kinds of leukemia.

While one can be cured by chemo, the other will require a transplant before he can go into remission.

E.J. is a star student and athlete at Lone Star High School in Frisco.

His family’s dining room is now a classroom.

One current assignment is the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'

The 14-year-old says he'll tackle the book, and he also vows to tackle leukemia.

"I just look at it as a, it's just a roadblock in my journey in life," he said.

The day after Christmas, the Rose family received E.J.'s diagnosis.

Then, days later, news came that the rambunctious kid who loves football and basketball is battling two forms of the disease.

"It was devastating to hear that news from the oncologist that the diagnosis was leukemia, but what's helped is our faith and knowing he can be cured," E.J.’s mom, Tara Rose, said.

E.J. needs a bone marrow transplant.

On Saturday, the family will gather at his school -- Lone Star High School in Frisco -- where the district and E.J.’s supporters, and hopefully others who simply feel compelled to help, will team up for a bone marrow drive.

"The numbers for, especially African Americans, on the bone marrow registry are very low. I'd love for, not just African Americans, but I'd love for any and everybody within the listening ear to come out and get swabbed to see if you're a match. Because even if it doesn't help E.J., it could somebody," E.J.’s dad, Earl Rose Sr.. said.

E.J. plays linebacker, and routinely brought down any ball carrier who crossed his path.

He said the next opponent going down is leukemia.