BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- His real name is Kevin Maxwell, but his friends and family know him as Bubba.

"His mom gave him that name when he was a little kid. He's like a little bull dog, Bubba," said Michele Bishop, Bubba's sister-in-law.

Bubba Maxwell, 37, has spent the past four months in a hospital bed at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Soon after going in for knee surgery last September, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His wife of nearly one year, Christal, has been by his bedside ever since.

Bubba relies on blood and platelet transfusions to help keep him alive. His family said as soon as he is strong enough to walk, he will start chemotherapy treatments. But he is still in need of a bone marrow donor.

On Saturday, Houchin Community Blood Bank will be holding a blood drive and bone marrow registry at the Stockdale Moose Lodge.

"This is a compelling story, it is a local family. It's very important for our community to know what we can do. Our job is to be good stewards and to help families like this and to join the bone marrow registry is a nationwide registry that will help local families and nationwide families," said Tracy Hunter of Houchin Blood Bank.

Bishop said she talked to Bubba last night and he got choked up when he found out what the community is doing for him.

"He wanted to be here, he wanted to participate and thank everybody personally. We just told him that what we are doing is nothing and you need to worry about yourself and that's pretty much what we could ask for," said Bishop.

With five kids and tons of friends waiting for him at home, Bubba's family hopes somebody tomorrow will be his saving grace.

"He is a tough guy, and I really know he wants to come home to his family. Really that's what our hopes and prayers are that he can get better and have this life that him and Christal just started to have together," said Bishop.

If you would like to support Bubba and others in the community the event is being Saturday. Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Stockdale Moose Lodge, 905 Stine Road.

For more information you can contact the Houchin Blood Bank at 323-4222.