There is never an easy way to ask someone for help, but J.P. Blevins has been doing exactly that for the past few weeks and months.

The former Kentucky basketball player had his world turned upside down in May when one of his closest friends, Philip Schardein, was diagnosed with leukemia and told he needed a bone marrow transplant for survival.

Schardein, a former golfer at UK and All-Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll member for three years, underwent surgery in July to receive bone marrow from his sister Chappell at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas. The transplant seemed to go better than anyone could have expected until Schardein’s system rejected it just weeks before he was to be released and allowed to head home to Bowling Green, Ky.

Doctors have now informed the family that Schardein will need an outside donor in order to survive, which has Blevins and Schardein’s family scrambling to ask for help from anyone who is interested in helping.

Because of the costs of screening potential donors, which isn’t covered by insurance, the family and Blevins are asking for potential help in covering the financial burdens as well as people who might be able to help save Schardein by being a bone marrow match.

Blevins said they have set up a web site with all the information about Schardein and his situation. The site, www.helpsavephilip.com, has info about his disease, how you can help and pictures of the young man. Blevins also said people could contact Lynne Martin or Lou Beckner in Bowling Green at (270) 781-4222 or Philip’s mother, Lisa Leachman, at (270) 792-4050.

Blevins stressed that time is of the utmost importance in this situation and would be grateful for anyone willing to help.