A brave father has saved his toddler’s life by donating a kidney when her own organs failed.
Esme Chester, three, suffered kidney failure last year followed by a life-threatening stroke which medics couldn’t explain.
She was forced to spend 14 months on a dialysis machine to clean her blood – and was attached 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Desperate for a new kidney, tests showed her father Lee, 37, was a match.
Knowing he could help his daughter live a normal life, he didn’t think twice – and the pair are now recovering following the operation last Thursday.
Lee Chester, 37, has saved his three-year-old daughter’s life by donating a kidney when her own organs failed. The pair are pictured before the operation
After the procedure was carried out on Thursday morning, father and daughter are recovering well. Pictured, before the operation
Esme’s mother Rachel Mulhearn, 27, is now dividing her time to visit both of them at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Chester, an account manager for Canon UK, said: ‘We are both doing really well. I’m so glad it’s gone well for Esme.
‘She’s eating mashed potato in bed.
‘I’m quite sore so I’ll have to milk it at home for a bit.’
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He said donating a kidney is something ‘any parent would do’.
Doctors have not been able to diagnose what caused Esme’s kidneys to suddenly fail in June last year.
Mr Chester said: ‘Things changed overnight. Her kidney failure was end stage – the worst it could get.
‘We were both tested and although Rachel was a match, I was a better match. I said yes immediately.’
They were gearing up for a dream holiday to Florida for Esme when she suffered a stroke in December and was in intensive care for six weeks.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Chester said: ‘We are both doing really well. I’m so glad it’s gone well for Esme’. He added: ‘I’m quite sore so I’ll have to milk it at home for a bit’
She was in hospital until mid-March and had to learn to walk and eat again, spending her third birthday on the renal ward and delaying the transplant.
But the surgery was finally able to go ahead this month.
Mr Chester gave up his job as a national account manager for a food firm to care for Esme – and Ms Mulhearn said he has been the family’s ‘rock’.
However Mr Chester and Ms Mulhearn believe Esme will be a stronger person for all she has had to face.
Mr Chester said: ‘She’s so strong-willed, that’s part of what’s she been through.
‘She knows her own mind, she’s very funny, caring and she says she loves us all the time. But she also has a strength from all this.
Doctors do not know what caused Esme’s kidneys to fail last year – and before the operation she spent 14 months having dialysis
He added: ‘She’s spent so long on the renal ward she struts around like she owns it, bossing all the staff around.’
Now the operation is over, the couple hope Esme will be able to put her health problems behind her will be able to attend pre-school.
There will be more medical appointments ahead, and tests to check her body has accepted the kidney but the couple are positive she will now lead a healthy life.
Mr Chester is now campaigning to get everyone on the organ donation register.
He said: ‘Everyone should sign up for it. It takes two minutes and it can change people’s lives forever.
Now the operation is over, the couple hope Esme will be able to attend pre-school
‘I would hope that if my kidney didn’t fit Esme they would be able to source another, and that means signing up.’
Mr Chester, who also has a 12-year-old daughter called Georgia, praised the staff on Ward 77, the renal unit, who cared for Esme.
Ms Mulhearn said on Facebook: ‘My beautiful family recovering after daddy donated his kidney to our very brave little girl Esme who has faced far too much for any person let alone a child.
‘Here’s to the future thanks to the best daddy in the world.
‘He has given our daughter more than a gift, a chance at a better, healthier life and we will teach her to realise anything really is possible.
‘They are doing really well, and everything looks to be working wonderfully. Donation changes lives – sign up today!’