Two-year-old Payton Lawson, of Sanford, is a happy, energetic child, but her joyful personality betrays a devastating illness.

Last Easter, Payton was taken to the emergency room with a rash that doctors thought was a simple skin disorder, but over the next five months of sickness and misdiagnoses, it was determined that she has the potentially deadly blood disorder hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and now her survival depends on receiving a marrow transplant from an unrelated donor.

Since finding a match can be difficult, friends and family are holding a donor drive Saturday, Sept. 29, where the public is encouraged to register as potential marrow donors to save Payton or others like her.

Tina Wall, Payton’s mother, is hoping hundreds will come out to be Payton’s hero and fight blood diseases.

“HLH is such a devastating disease for this child,” Wall says. “Someone out there could be her match, though, and it starts with a cheek swab.”

The event is being held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Broadway Optimist Club, Main Street, Broadway.

Potential donors must be between 18 and 55 and in good general health.

“When you register with DKMS, you can be found as a donor match for any patient in need of a bone marrow transplant,” says a spokesman. “Registering one potential bone marrow donor costs DKMS $65. Because DKMS does not require new donors to pay the registration fee and does not receive government funding, DKMS must rely on donations from the general public to fund donor registrations. One hundred percent of your financial contribution is used to register new potential donors.

The mission of DKMS is to lead the fight to defeat blood cancer by empowering people to take action, give bone marrow and save lives. DKMS Americas is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.

For more information about DKMS and to learn more about registering as a bone marrow donor, visit www.getswabbed.org.