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From the outside looking in, one would think Natalie Cole is having a tumultuous year. Despite battling hepatitis C, publicly revealing that she was in need of a kidney transplant, and losing her older sister, Timolin Cole, to cancer in May, the Grammy Award winner has managed to successfully recover from a recent kidney transplant.
Prior to her surgery, which took place at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the 'Unforgettable' singer was expected to make a full recovery in three to four months.
Luckily, the 59-year-old singer has recuperated faster than doctors predicted.
Natalie Cole Pictures
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 13: Musicians Natalie Cole and Johnny Mathis at the Annual Harold Pump Foundation Gala Honoring Magic Johnson And Bill Russell at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, on August 13, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
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Singer Natalie Cole attends the annual Harold Pump Foundation gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 13, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California..Annual Harold Pump Foundation Gala.The Beverly Hilton Hotel.Beverly Hills, CA United States.August 13, 2009.Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (58104417), contact FilmMagic.com
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Singer Natalie Cole attends the annual Harold Pump Foundation gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 13, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California..Annual Harold Pump Foundation Gala.The Beverly Hilton Hotel.Beverly Hills, CA United States.August 13, 2009.Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (58104387), contact FilmMagic.com
WireImage.com
Singer Natalie Cole attends the annual Harold Pump Foundation gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 13, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California..Annual Harold Pump Foundation Gala.The Beverly Hilton Hotel.Beverly Hills, CA United States.August 13, 2009.Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (58104387), contact FilmMagic.com
WireImage.com
Natalie Cole attends the HollyRod Foundation’s 2009 DesignCare event honoring Michael J. Fox on July 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California..HollyRod Foundation’s 2009 DesignCare Event Honoring Michael J. Fox.Los Angeles, CA United States.July 25, 2009.Photo by Todd Williamson/WireImage.com..To license this image (57989075), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Natalie Cole attends the HollyRod Foundation’s 2009 DesignCare event honoring Michael J. Fox on July 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California..HollyRod Foundation’s 2009 DesignCare Event Honoring Michael J. Fox.Los Angeles, CA United States.July 25, 2009.Photo by Todd Williamson/WireImage.com..To license this image (57989075), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Singer Natalie Cole attends the HollyRod Foundation's 2009 DesignCare event on July 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California..HollyRod Foundation’s 2009 DesignCare Event Honoring Michael J. Fox.Los Angeles, CA United States.July 25, 2009.Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com..To license this image (57981342), contact FilmMagic.com
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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Singer Natalie Cole (L) and actor/singer Jamie Foxx backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 8, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Singer Natalie Cole, winner of the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album "Still Unforgettable" poses in the press room during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 8, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Singer Natalie Cole, winner of the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album "Still Unforgettable" poses in the press room during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 8, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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"It's remarkable what a new kidney does to your life," Cole expressed yesterday in Beverly Hills at Magic Johnson and Bill Russell's Harold Pump Foundation Gala. "I have no complaints. ... I'm pretty amazed. I have been working on my stamina."
Although Cole is prohibited from knowing who blessed her with the life-saving organ, she is aware that the family of the deceased organ donor specifically requested that the kidney go to her. "I don't know who they are. I have not met them; it's all anonymous." she told People magazine. "That's what was so awesome. Their family basically requested that the kidney go to me. We are not sure how they knew."
Over the past couple of months while she was in Los Angeles recuperating from surgery, the 10-time Grammy Award winner had a superior circle of family and friends supporting her.
"My sisters who live in Florida, they came out, my son, oodles of friends," she added. "I got sick in New York. I wasn't at home. I didn't know how many good friends I had until this happened. It was beautiful. I had people come and see me every day in the hospital for 10 days."
As for offering advice to others in need of a transplant, the 'This Will Be' songstress recommends that "they have a circle of friends like I did. I was very blessed."
On Sept. 9, Cole will make her return to the stage for the previously announced Hollywood Bowl, while earlier dates for her 'Still Unforgettable' tour, originally set to start June 5, will be rescheduled.
Comments: (45)
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By: Urbanprincess on 8/14/2009 2:45PM
I am glad to see Natile doing well in her recovery and she looks well. I just hope she takes it easy and postpone her series of tours until next year or when she is able? No need to rush to the stage. Natile needs to stay still and recover some more. I'm glad she has such a wonderful family, friends, and fan support system. I hope that one day, she meets the family who donated their loved one's kidney to thank them in person.
If anyone that can remember back when she was looking for a kidney Natile was on CNN with Larry King. I remember her saying towards the end of the show, "Why would God punish me or do this to me"? I didn't like when she said that because, God doesn't wish anything bad on any of us here on Earth. We all make choices in life and the bad choices we make in life, we all pay the consequences. God has nothing to do with it. I just wanted to say that. God is a loving God! God used that family's deceased loved ones organ as a resource to help Natilie to live and to be blessed! I know that family is blessed in return too! AMEN!
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By: tangerinemuse on 8/14/2009 7:43PM
Wonderful to see Natalie recovering so well! ou have the wrong sister's name. Timolin is one of a set of twins who are younger than Natalie. The sister who died around the time of her surgery was her older sister, Carole.
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By: AntBee on 8/14/2009 11:47PM
Timolin is very much alive!
It was Carol that passed.
Natalie knows what she can and can't do!
She has had the best doctors on her case, and they have advised her of her condition.
How anyone in Cyber Space can know or write that she needs to be still and rest more is amazing!
You keep on going "Sweetie" You are strong!
You came from excellent stock!
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By: Kevin on 8/15/2009 3:35PM
I am very happy to see that Natalie Cole, is up and about. However, I would like to see her just take some time, to heal. Enjoy the moment of living another day.
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By: Betty Bennett on 8/15/2009 5:03PM
I am happy that God blessed Natalie with a Kidney. It is because her belief in God. And knowing that he will never leave her. God Bless You Natalie and always keep HIM first!!!!!
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By: Bryan on 8/16/2009 6:01PM
Natalie is truly a survivor, a woman of true Faith and a determined person to live. Natalie has been accountable for all her troubles in life and does not blame anyone not even God. Natalie even made peace with the fact of herself not ever receiving a kidney and dealing with Hep C. She did not blame anyone not even her doctors for the kidney failure. She just kept a mustard seed of faith and God did the rest.
This woman has survived heroin, cocaine, three divorces, career failure, Hep C, lost of her father and bad relationship with her mother and death of her sister and husband. Nevertheless, she has not given up on life and still looks fabulous.
She definitely has an angel on her shoulder!!
Love you Natalie and keep uplifting Jesus. You still have work on this Earth to do... God still has your back!!!
Bryan
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By: Urbanprincess on 8/16/2009 3:09PM
Bryan,
here is a transcript from CNN when Natalie Cole was on Larry King Show back in March. Toward the end of the show Larry King asks her a question and this was her reply:
KING: What then kept you going to get on the stage? What does keep you going?
COLE: It was the only thing I had left, Larry, my voice. God didn't take my voice. He took my health for a minute. You know, but my voice was still there. And now we should talk about my music.
God doesn't take one's health make you loose a job, a house, loose a person you love, death, nor does he do bad things to people. God is love.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0903/31/lkl.01.html
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By: Urbanprincess on 8/16/2009 3:14PM
Bryan,
here is a transcript from CNN when Natalie Cole was on Larry King Show back in March. Toward the end of the show Larry King asks her a question and this was her reply:
KING: What then kept you going to get on the stage? What does keep you going?
COLE: It was the only thing I had left, Larry, my voice. God didn't take my voice. He took my health for a minute. You know, but my voice was still there. And now we should talk about my music.
God doesn't take one's health make you loose a job, a house, loose a person you love, death, nor does he do bad things to people. God is love.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0903/31/lkl.01.html
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By: trina on 8/16/2009 10:18AM
wow i am so glad i was so worry about her . i love her always have from a child . please take it easy and i look for your new cd . love always you are wonderful never forget that .
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By: Bryan on 8/16/2009 6:20PM
Urbanprincess,
I watched the interview and Natalie has it posted on her website. Of course, anyone who is experiencing anything of illness or bad incident wonder why it is appearing and why would let God let something like that happened. This response is only nature and human. But later on, one normally understands that God is testing the person and or their faith. This is exactly what happened in Natalie's situation and she stated this in other interviews. Natalie stated after her own pity party and why me phase, she drew to strength and faith to fight if she wanted to live. We as humans don't understand why God does and allow things to happen.
If you have endured what she has, been in the public eye and took all judgements from fans and people she does not even know or really know her, you might understand why she said and felt that way at the particular time. I am glad she has made it out on the other side!!!
All praises to Allah, Jevohah and whatever you believe in,
Bryan
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