Natalie Cole
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May 25, 2009
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According to People, she headed home yesterday and her rep says she will continue her recovery there.
As Hollyscoop reported earlier this week, Natalie has had to deal with not only her surgery this week, but the death of her sister as well.
Natalie planned a memorial service on Monday for Carole "Cookie" Cole, who passed away from lung cancer the same day as Natalie's surgery.
Her rep tells People, "Natalie is continuing to do well under the circumstances." Cole is expected to spend the next three to four months recuperating and will reschedule her summer tour dates in support of her album Still Unforgettable. We wish her the best during this tough time.
May 22, 2009
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Cookie’s doctors had found cancer in one of her lungs last week. Younger sister Timolin tells The New York Post, "Our sister Cookie hadn't been to a doctor in 30 years, and last week she went in and they found a cancerous spot on her lung. They had wanted to start chemo right away, but Cookie said no.
"Natalie was there with her at her bedside at 4 in the morning on Monday, and she got a phone call from her doctors that a kidney was ready for her. She said: 'What do you mean? I can't deal with that right now! I'm here with my dying sister!' And they said to her: 'No, ma'am. We've got to do it now. You've got to be at Cedars-Sinai in two hours.'"
Timolin was the one who helped Natalie make her decision to leave Cookie and undergo surgery. She told Natalie the donated kidney was “God’s gift,” and that “Cookie would want this for you.”
Timolin tells the paper, “This is all so surreal, and it is devastating.”
It must be so hard for Natalie and Timolin right now. On one hand they should be happy that the kidney transplant was a success, but they lost a sister in the meantime. Out thoughts are with their family at this time.
May 22, 2009
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An anonymous fan decided to donate her kidney to Cole, who was in dire need of a transplant, after seeing Cole talk about her health concerns on the Larry King Live show back in April.
Tom Mone, CEO of OneLegacy, the agency that facilitated the match, tells CNN.com, "Having heard of Ms. Cole's need for a kidney, the family asked that one of their loved one's kidneys be transplanted to Ms. Cole if they were a match."
Cole has had health issues since she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2008. She suffered kidney problems while undergoing treatment for the liver disease, which included dialysis three times a week.
Cole underwent surgery in Los Angeles earlier this week after she was given a "direct donation" from the dying 22-year-old. What a generous gift!
May 20, 2009
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Natalie has had a long struggle with kidney problems while she was receiving treatment for hepatitis C, with which she was diagnosed last year.
Her rep said in a statement today, "The kidney came from a deceased organ donor through the regional organ procurement agency, One Legacy.
Natalie will now have to spend the next three to four months recuperating from the transplant. But despite everything she’s gone through, she’s still planning on rescheduling her summer tour dates in support of her album Still Unforgettable.
We wish Natalie the best! She sure has been through a lot! Hopefully that was the end of her long and tough road to healthiness.
October 3, 2008
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She'll be staying at her home in LA for the remainder of the month to try and get better, and is receiving kidney dialysis.
Her spokesperson says she is doing much better. She's even planning on resuming her tour in November. We wish her the best!
September 19, 2008
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Her reps confirmed that she has canceled all upcoming performances (her album 'Still Unforgettable' was just released) and plans on going back to LA to be on a month long bed rest.
The side effects of chemotherapy paired with a strenuous promotional schedule is said to be the cause of the hospitalization. Hopefully that month long bed rest will help her back on her feet!
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