Derrek Lee's daughter

[BJ Sands]

Lee vows to fight daughter's rare disease

The Associated Press

September 29, 2006, 3:09 PM CDT

The daughter of Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee has a rare genetic disease that causes blindness in young children, and he said Friday he has started a foundation with the owner of the Boston Celtics to find a cure.

Jada, who is 3 years old and Lee's only child, has lost vision in one eye. Lee, the 2005 NL batting champion, has spent the last two weeks researching Leber's Congenital Amaurosis. He has teamed with Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, whose son is one of only about 3,000 people in the United States with the disease.

Lee has talked with doctors and visited scientists, researchers and labs.

"Jada is a little bit different in the respect that she still sees very well out of one eye. So it's kind of throwing them off a little bit," Lee said Friday.

"But you know we look at it as a positive. We just ask that everyone continue to pray for the miracle, that she continue to have good sight out of the one eye. We're still believing that can happen."

Lee said the goal of his foundation, called "Project 3000," is to have everyone with the disease tested because that will aid research. So far, he said, only about 500 of those diagnosed have undergone genetic testing.

Lee has not played since announcing Sept. 17 his daughter was ill.

"You know it's something that is devastating initially when you are told your daughter, there is something wrong with your child. It's hard to explain unless you have children. You will do anything to protect your children," he said.

"And when you are told there is something wrong and there is nothing you can do about it, it's a tough pill to swallow. As parents we just want to do our part and we feel our part is to raise awareness."

[NJTank]

Wow what an awful year for him, injuries being a Cub now worst of all this.