Delaware dad donates kidney to save his daughter

DELAWARE -- Normally dads receive the gifts on Father's Day but instead a dad in Delaware is celebrating the gift of life that he was able to give his daughter.

Piper Lee was approaching her first birthday when the trouble began.

"We woke up one morning and she had a really puffy face," said Chris Lee.

Doctors knew she had kidney problems, but could not find the cause on standard tests.

A doctor decided to send a sample of Piper's blood to Bristol, England where a specific type of genetic testing could be performed.

That's when they found that Piper had Denys-Drash Syndrome.

"Denys-Drash is a spontaneous genetic mutation, which means it's not inherited from parent to child," said Lee.

The syndrome causes kidney failure before the age of three and cancerous tumors.

Piper's father Chris was a probable match as a kidney donor.

But before he could get through the 4 to 6 month of tests, Piper's kidneys failed then had to be removed because of a tumor and there were even more delays for further testing.

"That was probably the hardest part - being all geared up to go, but then being told it may not be until spring now," said Lee.

Finally in December, the transplant happened.

Piper's feisty personality has returned and the Lees couldn't be happier.

They sure have something to celebrate this Father's Day.

"I'm beyond thankful," said Lee.

"Her disease isn't going to come back into this kidney and it should last her a very long time," said Erin Lee, mother.

Even more good news - Piper's fraternal twin sister Harper does not have the syndrome. And her older sister Sophia is clear as well.