EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Did you know that only eight percent of bone marrow donors on the national registry are African American? That's what the Broadwater family discovered when Maurice Broadwater, 42, was diagnosed with a form of leukemia that required a bone marrow transplant, but was unable to find a donor.

On Saturday, Broadwater's family held a bone marrow drive at Chrysler Union Hall with DKMS, the world's largest bone marrow donor center, in hopes of finding a match. Everyone is encouraged to become a donor, but especially people of African American, Native American and Latino descent.

"And everybody doesn't understand it's only a cheek swab. They take DNA to see if you are a match, and they don't call you until you are a match,” said Paulette Dunlap, Maurice’s mother.

For more information about DKMS and to learn how to become a bone marrow donor, visit www.dkmsamericas.org .