LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Rhythm and blues singer Natalie Cole, who has been battling Hepatitis C, received a new kidney in Los Angeles and is resting comfortably, her spokeswoman said yesterday.
Cole, the 59-year-old daughter of R&B legend Nat “King” Cole, underwent surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles yesterday. The kidney came from a deceased organ donor, the spokeswoman said in a statement.
She has been receiving kidney dialysis three times a week since September, even as she toured the world to promote her new album, “Still Unforgettable.” Cole will recuperate for the next three to four months, forcing her to postpone a summer tour, the statement said.
The singer revealed her Hepatitis C diagnosis last July, saying she probably contracted the liver disease from drug use more than 30 years ago.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infectious disease that can cause inflammation of the liver, and in extreme cases, liver cancer. It is usually contracted through transfusions of unscreened blood, or by injecting or inhaling drugs.
Cole has won nine Grammys in a 30-year career that has included albums such as “Everlasting” and “Unforgettable … With Love,” which featured her singing a duet with her late father via electronic technology.
