Hélène Campbell has Barrhaven street named after her
CBC News | Posted: May 19, 2016 7:02 PM | Last Updated: May 20, 2016
Campbell received double-lung transplant in 2012, became advocate for organ donations
The city unveiled a new street in Barrhaven Friday to honour Ottawa organ donor activist and double-lung transplant recipient Hélène Campbell.
The street sign marking Hélène Campbell Road was unveiled Friday at the western extension of Jockvale Road between Cedarview Road and Strandherd Drive.
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Campbell said she was humbled by the honour, which she says represents the efforts of everyone who has helped her cause.
"I feel overwhelmed and speechless," she said. "I look at this street and the name that's up there and I don't just see my name I see the name of thousands of individuals… people who didn't know me and felt like they should step up and raise awareness."
Campbell was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a degenerative lung disease, in July 2011 after she collapsed on a hiking trail.
The Barrhaven native, then 20 years old, garnered widespread attention for her Twitter campaign to raise awareness about organ donation, appearing on the The Ellen DeGeneres Show in February 2012.
Two months later, Campbell underwent a successful double-lung transplant at Toronto General Hospital.
Campbell is now spearheading the Give2Live campaign, which raises money to support Canadians forced to live away from home near a transplant centre while they await an organ donation.