Natalie Cole was diagnosed with Hepatitis C last year in July, which she suspects is a result of her drug use in the late 70s and early 80s. Natalie was treated with what she describes as being Chemotherapy-like injections and Ribavirin. Both of these treatments seem to be aggressive on your body, which may have contributed to her kidney failure. For several months now, Natalie has been undergoing dialysis three times a week, and she requires a new kidney. It seems that she has found a donor.
“My son [Robert, 31] may be a possible [donor] match,” she told Entertainment Tonight at the Grammy Salute to Jazz on Tuesday. “It’s very sweet and kind of strange to have people offer something like that.”
Cole, 58, who is nominated for three Grammys for her 2008 album Still Unforgettable, is virus negative after being diagnosed with hepatitis C almost a year ago. She has also struggled with kidney problems while undergoing treatment for the liver disease.
She tells ET that she’s not looking forward to the recovery time following a transplant, “but in the end it’ll be worth it.”
Despite Natalie’s health problems, she has toured extensively over the last six months, but was briefly hospitalized in December.
Natalie has not taken drugs since she entered rehab in 1983. Prior to that, from her time in college in the early 1970 (she’s graduated 1972), through her first marriage and birth of her son, she had a serious drug problem. In her biography titled Angel On My Shoulder she confessed to taking heroin and cocaine.
Her son Robert, 31, her only child and potential kidney donor, was the catalyst for her rehabilitation. When she and her husband were on a drug binge he almost drowned in the family swimming pool. He was six when she entered rehab.
Natalie and her son also play music together, and he plays as part of her touring band. I hope that Robert is a match for Natalie, and they can continue their music together – Natalie is nominated for her three Grammy awards for her latest album Still Unforgettable.
Natalie Cole is shown performing on 1/16/09. Credit: WENN
Hope everything goes well for both of them. It’s a very sweet gesture he’s doing. Moves a lot my motherly heart…
I hope this helps her. Her father died too young, as did her brother. It’s a shame people can still get sick years after staying clean.
Hi, I like to try to see if I would be a match to give Ms. Natalie Cole my kidney. Love to do it if I can