Two-year-old Grant Hossler Jr. has to fight for life every day, and his parents, Grant and Danielle Hossler, live in constant fear that something else might go wrong with their baby.

But there is hope, and community members can help by supporting a benefit dance for the Holtwood youngster, who is in need of a bone-marrow transplant.

The dance will be held on Friday, May 16, from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Lancaster County Sportsmen Association, also known as Mount Nebo Sports Farm, along Tucquan Glen Road in Holtwood.

Tickets cost $12 and include snacks, beverages and music by M&M Productions. Participants must be 18 or older. Tickets can be ordered by calling Mike Trimble at 464-2357.

A Chinese auction will also be held as part of the fundraising event. Anyone wishing to donate items should call Trimble.

All proceeds from the dance will be used to help pay Grant Jr.'s medical expenses for care at Alfred I. Dupont Children's Hospital in Wilmington, Del. The youngster, who suffers from periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and a rare genetic blood disorder, undergoes several blood transfusions a week and requires a lot of special treatments and medical supplies to survive.

PVL is damage and softening of the white brain matter that transmits information between the nerve cells and the spinal cord, as well as from one part of the brain to the other.

Born Feb. 13, 2006, Grant Jr., who the Hosslers refer to as their "miracle baby," was seven to eight weeks premature.

"At first, we didn't know anything was wrong," said Danielle, who had been told prior to Grant Jr.'s conception that she had a 3 percent chance of ever getting pregnant.

By May 11, 2006, Grant Jr. was diagnosed with PVL.

"He had air gaps in the brain and cysts formed in the gaps," Danielle said. "Every kid is different. We were told it could lead to cerebral palsy."

As a result, Grant Jr. had to undergo several laser surgeries on his right eye to address a buildup of cholesterol and blood behind the eye, which causes the retina to detach from the eye.

In September 2007, medical procedures determined there was bacteria in his lungs and that he would have to have his adenoids removed. Meanwhile, Grant Jr. has suffered from numerous bouts of pneumonia and he has had surgery to correct an acid reflux problem. He has also had a gastrointestinal feeding tube inserted for a special high-calorie shake.

"He weighed 18 pounds for almost a year before we got the G tube in," Danielle said. Grant Jr. now weighs 30 pounds. "He's doubled. He is as tall as a normal 2-year-old," she added.

The end of October brought more problems. Suffering from a 104-degree fever, Grant Jr. was taken from Lancaster General Hospital to the Dupont facility, where he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a blood disorder in which the bone marrow stops making enough red blood cells.

"He had virtually no immune system," explained Grant. "He still doesn't have much of one. We quarantine him from everyone else. We have signs on the doors that say, 'If you're not 200 percent healthy, stay away.'"

Grant Jr.'s health issues got even worse and he was diagnosed on Feb. 20 with dyskeratosis congenita, a progressive bone-marrow failure syndrome. The disease is so rare that only 175 known patients have been treated in the past 10 to 20 years, Danielle said.

"They're trying to figure out which of five different kinds of dyskeratosis congenita he has," Danielle added.

The disease is genetic in nature and tests are still being done to see which parent is the carrier. So far, the Hosslers' 1-year-old son, Colton, has shown no signs of any of the associated medical problems.

Because of the rarity of the disease, treatments are really trial-and-error.

"There's no way to cure this," Grant said.

There has been some success with bone-marrow transplants, and Grant Jr. is scheduled for one in early to mid-May. He will spend weeks in the hospital and will also receive low-dose chemotherapy treatments.

"If it goes untreated, he would most likely die," Danielle said. "It's a 50-50 chance we're taking. They've only ever done this on four people."

Danielle had to quit her job as an office manager to provide full-time care for her son. Her mother-in-law, Gwen Hossler, also quit her job so that she can care for Colton while his parents spend time in the hospital with Grant Jr.

"It's been devastating," said Grant, who still works as a local truck driver.

As the medical bills roll in, the situation becomes even more devastating.

"Every time we get a bill in the mail, it's no less than $8,000," Grant said.

The Hosslers do have health insurance, but there is a lot that is not covered.

"You have to fight for everything," Grant said.

Some of the blood tests are not covered at all because Grant Jr.'s disease is so rare that there are no U.S. labs that can do the testing.

It has cost $12,000 for blood tests for the family to try to determine who is carrying the blood disorder. One hospital visit out of many cost $117,000, and bills from months ago are just starting to roll in.

"Cost-wise, who knows?" Danielle said.

The Hosslers are grateful to the Schreiber Pediatric Center and the S. June Smith Center for their help with Grant Jr.'s special-needs equipment, such as a $3,700 wheelchair, $1,500 braces, a shower seat, walker, crawler and an elastic suit used to stretch his muscles.

The Hosslers, who want to thank their family and friends for the help and support they have given, have one piece of advice for other parents.

"When the doctors keep telling you your son is OK, and you know he's not, go somewhere else. Get another opinion," Danielle said.

"You are you child's own best advocate," Grant added.