On April 28, Shayli Daves fulfilled a calling — she donated a kidney to her youngest brother, Shafer.
For the past 14 years, Shayli has shared her desire to donate a kidney to her brother with most anyone who listened.
“It’s been a dream of mine,” gushed Shayli. “I knew I loved my little brother so much. I had an early desire as a child to extend life to him. Giving him a kidney has been amazing and miraculous to me, to say the least.”
The siblings, both recovering from surgery, admitted they were best friends, a bond that has grown even deeper since the transplant.
“I also didn’t realize how much I talked about wanting to be his donor to other people until my mom posted on Facebook that I was a match,” Shayli said, laughing. “And then I started getting texts from people.
“My genetics professor in college told me it was the fun fact I shared about myself on the first day of class about a future goal. And now look.”
In 2009, Shafer was born with Denys-Drash syndrome, a rare genetic condition that leads to kidney failure as well as a risk of developing Wilms Tumor, a kidney cancer. In 2010, both of his kidneys were removed, and daily 11-hour dialysis began as the family awaited transplantation.
Shayli, 9 at the time, was very willing, but did not meet the age requirements to donate. On June 22, 2011, Shafer received the lifesaving organ from his mother.
Despite the hope the family experienced from the successful living-donor transplant, they knew Shafer’s transplant journey wasn’t over.
“Kidney failure is a chronic disease,” said Kathy Jabs, MD, Shafer’s nephrologist and medical director, Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “Parents are told to expect more than one transplant, which is a treatment not a cure.
“We have watched Shafer grow up. It’s nice to see him move from having his parents do all of the communicating to him expressing his ideas and concerns.”
In 2024 Shafer’s transplanted kidney began to fail. Shayli did not hesitate to start the testing phase.
“I already knew I was going to be the donor,” she said. “I had a surreal peace about it.”
Shafer, now 15, also felt confident in the donation. His kidney lasted nearly 14 years, four years longer than expected by his medical team, said his family.
“I’ve always known that she’s had a calling on her heart to be the next donor,” said Shafer. “I’ve been hearing it my whole life, and it’s really crazy that it has come full circle.
“Shayli has filled that kind of second mom role. She has always watched over us and encouraged us. She has been that person for our family.
“I feel blessed to receive such a gift. I just feel so loved by someone who is so willing to sacrifice her life and time for me. She did this during such a busy season in her life.”
Shayli is finishing her final year in the physician assistant program at Trevecca Nazarene University, a direction she credits to her brother’s medical journey.
The transplant was planned around her coursework. With two clinical rotations left, she graduates in August.
“I want to be able to help other people like Shafer,” said Shayli. “He really kick-started my interests and thoughts about the fact that I could really impact a lot of people. I’ve seen what medical advances have done to save his life.”
Shafer, a rising high school sophomore, is looking forward to returning to a few of his favorite things — basketball, bird farming and youth group.
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was young. I’m a three-point shooter, feel like it’s my natural ability. I feel like I have been able to keep up with the game, and my health hasn’t really held me back.
“I really hope that I am fully recovered so that I will be able to play this season. And I love farming. I have 11 exotic birds, peacocks, that I raise and ship eggs across the state. I also have some mandarin ducks, golden pheasants and some goats.”
An additional win for the family involves Shafer’s transplant surgeon. Both were performed by David Shaffer, MD, professor of Surgery and surgical director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who is retiring this year.
“We are so incredibly blessed that Dr. Shaffer was able to successfully transplant Shafer, twice,” said Jada Daves, mom to Shafer and Shayli. “We truly believe God aligned our paths to cross … his bedside manner and authentic passion for his patients is unmatched.”
For now, Shayli has returned to school to complete her clinical rotations. Shafer is busy with daily walks, board games and family time while awaiting his release to return home.
