Helene Campbell takes first steps following double lung transplant
Posted April 14, 2012 3:47 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
An Ottawa woman who shored up star support for organ donation is slowly getting back on her feet following a double lung transplant.
Helene Campbell’s parents say the 20-year-old took her first steps post-surgery on Wednesday and managed to sit in a chair.
Alan and Manon Campbell have been keeping their daughter’s followers apprised of her recovery by posting messages on her blog and her Twitter account.
In the latest blog post, they say she remains in intensive care at Toronto General Hospital and struggles to sleep due to the noise and the effects of her anti-rejection drugs.
They say it’s their hope she eventually “adjusts and gets good sleep.”
Helene Campbell was propelled into the spotlight early this year after celebrities _ including pop star Justin Bieber _ endorsed her campaign to promote organ donation.
She appeared on the daytime talk show Ellen via Skype and has been invited to return in person once she recovers.
Campbell’s efforts have earned her legions of followers on Twitter, and social media has played a key role in advancing her cause.
She started raising awareness of organ donation after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which requires a transplant.
She received new lungs on April 7 after her condition took a turn for the worse.
