TORONTO

Canadian Forces veteran Mark Walden is fighting the battle of his life.

Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, the 43-year-old needs a bone marrow transplant.

The Treble Victory Group — an organization Walden helped establish to help veterans make the transition from the military to jobs in the corporate sector — is teaming up with Toronto’s Medcan clinic to run a one-day effort Thursday to find a bone marrow match.

Walden, who served 15 years as an infantry officer with the Royal Canadian Regiment — and later with 32 Brigade — before retiring in 2007, is now enduring chemotherapy and radiation treatments at Princess Margaret Hospital.

“Mark is an exemplary leader,” said Joel Watson, an organizer of the bone marrow clinic. “He served overseas in Bosnia. When he came back, he transitioned to leadership positions in the bank.

“If someone needed mentoring, he was always there. That’s why the organization wants to be there for him ... We’re optimistic he’ll fight through this.”

Watson said there’s a lower than 30% chance of finding bone marrow matches.

He added the initial test is just a swab sample. About 50 people have registered for the event.

“I don’t know (if there’s a deadline), but it’s relatively urgent,” he said. “This is an extremely exhausting condition, so it’s difficult for him to interact with people, but his wife, Samieh, is passing their words along.”

Conservative MP Erin O’Toole, a former veterans affairs minister, said veterans around southern Ontario are gathering around Walden.

“I pushed it out through social media and Mayor (John) Tory also tweeted it,” he said. “They can go into their local Blood Services location in their community and get included on the match. The Toronto office became the rallying point in the GTA, but I know veterans around the province looking at getting in on it.”

The clinic runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Medcan, 150 York St., 14th floor. For more info, go to One Match.

jyuen@postmedia.com