Blood drive Saturday being held in toddler's honor

Peyton Williams suffers from rare blood disorder

TAYLOR, Mich. – The family of a 2-year-old girl who is suffering from a rare blood disorder is hoping the public will help out by donating blood.

Peyton Williams has an extremely rare blood disorder called Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA). She is one of about 800 people in the world with the disorder that prevents her bone marrow from producing red blood cells on their own. This causes DBA patients, like her, to become severely anemic. She has undergone 15 blood transfusions.

Peyton's parents, Kyle and Danielle, founded "Peyton's Pals, Inc." to bring awareness to DBA, better the treatment options for those living with the debilitating blood disorder, and to ultimately find a cure.

With the help of the American Red Cross, the organization is holding a blood drive on Saturday, Dec. 27, in honor of their daughter.

"We are holding this drive because our daughter Peyton survived on donated blood the first 15 months of her life," said Kyle Williams. "Without blood donations we wouldn't have had the outcome we have."

Donations for Saturday's drive are by appointment only.

To schedule an appointment, go to RedCrossBlood.org, call 800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or download the new Red Cross Blood App for smart phones.

Blood drive location:

Dec 27, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Trillium Academy

15740 Racho

Taylor, MI 48180