One Acadiana girl is getting the gift of life. 

 

12-year-old Alise Naquin has a special item on her Christmas list this year- a new kidney.

 

Last year, doctors diagnosed Alise with nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disorder that causes the body to excrete too much protein in the urine.

 

She undergoes dialysis for 10 hours every night. 

 

“I’m very excited not to be on dialysis and get to eat what I want,” Alise said. “I can’t eat a lot of salt because I’m on a salt restriction and a water restriction.”

 

Her mother said in one night, 35 pounds to fluid has to come out.  “It goes in through these big bags and it sits there and all the impurities pull out,” Melissa Naquin said. 

 

Alise has been fighting the kidney disorder for a year and a half now. This Christmas means more for the entire family. Alise’s mom will donate her kidney to her daughter. 

 

“I’m a 100 percent match and I’m going to donate my kidney to Alise,” Melissa said. “I’ve given her life once and I’m going to give her life again.”

 

When asked if Alise is nervous about the surgery, she said she tries not to think about it. 

 

“I definitely think it’s the gift of giving and here we are,” her mother said. “Donate life.”

 

The mother and daughter are under going the transplant surgery on Dec. 27 in New Orleans.