Martin and Natalia Ritchie with daughter Scarlett. Photo by Jennifer Welch
Natalia Ritchie has let Connect cameras and viewers into her life, as she waited for the gift of life: lungs. Born with Cystic Fibrosis, Natalia needed a double lung donation and transplant to survive. Unfortunately, due to the lack of donors, and Natalia's specific lung criteria, it's been a long and scary wait. During this time, Natalia has turned to social media to share her story, in hopes of raising awareness about organ donation.
The good news came on Saturday afternoon via tweet from Natalia's brother John. "We got the call. Martin just called me that they have lungs and Natalia will have the operation at 3." The operation took ten hours, and John tweeted the results at 1:51 a.m. "Operation was a success. Natalia is breathing with the new lungs."
To read more about this incredible and intense weekend, visit:
Natalia's blog - Journey of a Lifetime
Longtime friend Myles Slocombe has been blogging for Natalia.
Natalia's brother is on Twitter @jboguslawski
And to reach Natalia by Twitter, she's @NatRitchie
If you take one thing away from this story, Natalia and her family want it to be organ donation. As Myles writes in Natalia's blog, by making your wishes known, you have the opportunity to save up to eight people's lives and enhance the lives of up to 75 more.
And to reach Natalia by Twitter, she's @NatRitchie
If you take one thing away from this story, Natalia and her family want it to be organ donation. As Myles writes in Natalia's blog, by making your wishes known, you have the opportunity to save up to eight people's lives and enhance the lives of up to 75 more.
I can surely relate to the receiving of a transplant as my daughter needed a liver and when she moved to number one on the list, she was too ill to receive the transplant. She was sent home from Toronto General and passed away 14 days later. Our lives are so saddened by this loss and her daughters miss her so much. The tv coverage for the story of Natalia brings our hurt back to the surface but we are so excited for Natalie's family and we so wish for a complete recovery for Natalie that she may have a wonderful life.
I hope you get well Natalia. My thoughts and my heart goes out to you and your family. Stay strong and everything will work out.
When you get well may you have a wonderful life.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Natalia and her family. Your story is proof that miracles do happen!! This is reassurance that despite all the pain and stress the family, especially that Natalia has endured, there is hope! My father received a liver transplant in May and because of this I can relate to Natalia's story. Stay strong and get well!!!
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw my old buddy.Chris(Krzysztof)Boguslawski from Warsaw,Poland on Mark Kelly's program.I haven't
seen him and his family since 1988.That's when I moved from Toronto to Montreal and then Vancouver area.I couldn't find them through the internet.
Finally I did thanks to Newsworld.I was unaware of
Natalia's medical condition.I am so happy for her
and her parents and hope to see them in the near future.
Jerzy Rudowski
Langley,BC
We too have been through the transplant journey. Our daughter was also between life and death. We are very thankful for Dr. Keshavjee and the TGH team. We are most hopeful for Natalta's future and pray that this transplant would lead to increased awareness of the need and great promise of organ donation. Asking for continued blessing on Natalia and her lovely family.
Sutherland Family
Get Well Natalia, you have a remarkable spirit & it will see you through!
I just wanted to say 2 things. Natalia this is indeed the miracle of life and as a lung patient myself, I know how long the journey can be. Second I would like to remind all of us that the donor family is in need of our prayers at the saddest time of their lives. We must always remember to keep them in our prayers and thank them for the sacrifices they have made this day. In thanking them, hopefully it will ease some of the pain they are feeling. Good luck with your new lungs and breathe easy!
I just wanted to say 2 things. Natalia this is indeed the miracle of life and as a lung patient myself, I know how long the journey can be. Second I would like to remind all of us that the donor family is in need of our prayers at the saddest time of their lives. We must always remember to keep them in our prayers and thank them for the sacrifices they have made this day. In thanking them, hopefully it will ease some of the pain they are feeling. Good luck with your new lungs and breathe easy!
My wife and I went through almost the exact same scenario in Toronto in 2005. She was on a ventilator in ICU at St. Mike's without much time when the call came about the new lungs. Watching the footage of them wheeling Natalia away for the operation vividly reminded me of that day.
We now have a wonderful life where she accompanies me everyday to walk our dogs (could not do that before) and none of this would have been possible without the transplant. Stay strong through the recovery as the outcome is amazing!
For everyone else reading this, make sure your family knows your wishes for donation!!!
My prayers and my thoughts have been with you since i read your story Stay strong and get well All the best for the new year and always Paola