With big blue eyes and a cute smile, one would not know by looking that seven-month-old baby Irelynn Rose has a critical disease.

Known as "Diamond Blackfan Anemia," the disease requires Irelynn to have bone marrow transfusions at least once a month, said her mother, Melissa Rose.

According to Internet website www.dbafoundation.org, Diamond Blackfan Anemia" is a rare blood disorder, characterized by a failure of the bone marrow ... to produce red blood cells." Patients become severely anemic, not because of a deficiency of iron, vitamin B-12, folate, or erythropoietin, but because "DBA is a ribosomal protein disease. The disorder results from an intrinsic progenitor cell defect in which erythroid progenitors and precursors are highly sensitive to death by apoptosis (self-destruction).

In other words, cells in Irelynn's little body are destroying themselves.

About 20 percent of patients with DBA recover, "which is what I am praying for," Rose said. Hopefully, when Irelynn reaches 12 to 18 months, steroids can help.

In the meantime, however, Irelynn needs blood donations. It doesn't matter what type, because donations go into the baby's blood bank, giving her credit for what she needs and being used by other patients who need that particular blood type, she said.

Although many people equate all blood drives with the American Red cross, this blood drive is being hosted by The Blood Alliance, she said.

The drive will be Monday, Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., she said. It will take place in the First Baptist Church multipurpose room.

Again, blood type does not matter, Rose said.

Irelynn has already had a dozen bone marrow transfusions in her short little life, but she doesn't seem to be bothered by the disease, except when she is due for a transfusion and is anemic. "She gets fussy, doesn't sleep or eat well, and gets pale," her mother said.

Irelynn and her family will be present during the blood drive. The baby will wear a shirt with a caption across the front: "Blood Donors Give Me Life."

Rose became emotional as she spoke about the blood donations.

"If people didn't give blood, my baby would not have life," she said. "You can't go out and buy blood. It's something that has to be given."

For more information about the blood drive, call Gwen Wilson at 912-489-7926. For more information about The Blood Alliance, call 1-888-447-1479.

Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at 912-489-9414.