Fan Gave Cole A Kidney

The star has been battling ill health since she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2008. She suffered kidney problems while undergoing treatment for the liver disease, which included dialysis three times a week.

In April (09) she made an appearance on the Larry King Live show, talking about her desperate need for a kidney transplant and was overwhelmed by emails from viewers offering her their own organs.

And her message worked - she underwent surgery in Los Angeles earlier this week (beg18May09) after she was given a "direct donation" from a dying 22-year-old.

Tom Mone, CEO of OneLegacy, the agency which facilitated the match, tells CNN.com, "Having heard of Ms. Cole's need for a kidney, the family asked that one of their loved one's kidneys be transplanted to Ms. Cole if they were a match."

The news comes as it was revealed Cole's sister tragically passed away the same day the star received news of her transplant. Carol 'Cookie' Cole died from lung cancer as the singer prepared for her life-saving operation.

Cole is now set to reschedule her summer (09) tour dates so she can fully recover from surgery and allow her body time to adjust to the new kidney.