To Bieber with love, Sick Barrhaven resident seeks pop star's help

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Jennifer McIntosh

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Hélène Campbell

Hélène Campbell

EMC news - Barrhaven resident Hélène Campbell looked to Canadian pop star Justin Bieber on Jan. 19 to spread the word about the important of being an organ donor.

The effort is especially important to Campbell, who has just moved to Toronto to await a lung transplant that could save her life.

Campbell, along with a group of friends responsible for a website that profiles her challenges with a degenerative lung disease, urged everyone to tweet #BeAnOrganDonor to @justinbieber between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Jan. 19.

Two days later, Bieber retweeted the message "with i got u. #BeAnOrganDonor." Later he asked he urged his 16.5 million followers to spread the word for Campbell and be an organ donor.

Campbell discovered she had a degenerative lung disease after a hike on a camping trip with friends left her so winded a friend had to carry her back.

"It was just like, this isn't right," Campbell said. "Someone my age should be able to do this."

LUNGS SCARRED

Following the trip, Campbell was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - there is scarring on her lungs that impairs the elasticity and makes it difficult to breathe in fully.

In October, her lung function was at 24 per cent, and she worried what would happen if it got worse.

The funny, bright young adult whose dreams before the diagnosis included going to film school out West, now gets winded walking up the stairs.

She has to live in Toronto full time while she waits to get the call that would mean an end to wearing breathing tubes.

Her mother Manon joined her in Toronto but her father and three siblings will remain in Barrhaven.

The wait could take up to two years.

Before the diagnosis and the move, Campbell worked at a Dairy Queen in the Marketplace Mall in Barrhaven, thanks to the Dairy Queen staff and the Gauthier family from Campbell's church, Cedarview Alliance, she has $25,000 to help with living expenses while she is away.

Campbell said she was humbled by the outpouring of support she has received and believes new lungs will give her a second chance. One she has learned is how important it is for people to become organ donors.

"It's so easy and it saves lives," she said.

For more information on Campbell's story, visit www.alungstory.ca.

jennifer.mcintosh@metroland.com