Bone Marrow Drive To Be Held For 9/11 Hero Cop Battling Blood Cancer

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A bone marrow drive will be held in an effort to help save the life of the top security officer of the Barclays Center.

Steve Bonano, 50, was recently diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer. Now, the retired NYPD deputy chief and one-time Navy officer needs a bone marrow transplant.

"He really needs a match," Bruce Ratner, executive chairman of Forest City Ratner Companies, told 1010 WINS. "While it's possible to find matches we need a perfect match. That would be the very best."

The drive will be held at 345 Jay Street from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Volunteers will be given a quick cheek swab and potential matches could be asked to donate cells.

Bonano is a 30-year veteran of the NYPD and worked at the World Trade Center site after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

He has received the Police Combat Cross, the second-highest award in the NYPD, and has been awarded for excellence in police duty 45 times.

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