Young Cancer Patient Needs Blood Donations

Monday marks the start of 8-year-old Jeffrey Hughes' fourth cycle of chemotherapy at the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA in Westwood.

Friends and Santa Monica businesses have rallied around the young cancer patient by hosting fundraisers to support the Hughes family as they care for the Star Wars-loving boy.

Last month, hundreds At its three Santa Monica locations, is collecting money. Customers at Sweet Lady Jane have raised more than $1,000.

What Jeffrey Hughes needs now is a little harder to come by.

Battling a rare form of cancer called desmoplastic small round cell tumor, he is in need of Type-O positive and negative blood donations.

Donations can be given at the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center at 1045 Gayley Ave. The blood will be reserved for Hughes if it is blood type compatible. To donate, call (310) 794-7207 or visit gotblood.ucla.edu

Hughes was released Wednesday from Cedars-Sinai Hospital on Wednesday. He spent a grueling week there after being admitted with a slight fever and a low white blood cell count resulting from his third cycle of chemotherapy, his family said.

"We will most likely have at the very least our 4th and 5th chemotherapy cycles [at UCLA], and the 5th cycle should be on an outpatient basis," his family wrote in a blog. "This is a great way to get kids trying to get better out of hospitals where there's lots of germs and into their homes where there is a lot of love, family and friends!"

Follow Hughes' progress at http://jeffreyhughes.shutterfly.com