Double-transplant survivor ID'd as victim of fallen tree

An Ottawa graduate student whosurvivedtwo kidney transplantshas been identified as the woman fatally injured by a falling tree during a briefbut violentthunderstorm on the afternoon of Sept. 27.

HibaYusuf, 37, suffered multi-system trauma and went into cardiac arrestwhen a tree fell on her outside the General Campus of the OttawaHospital.A funeral service was held for her on the weekend.

• Storm uproots trees, leaves thousands without power in Ottawa

Advocate for organ donation

Yusuftold CBC in 2015 she was grateful for her second life-savingkidney transplant, onethat gaveher the opportunityto pursue a careerin medical research and passionately advocate for organ donation.

"I'm sort of giving back to the health care system that has helped me survive and thrive and becomesomebody who can actually give back," she said at the time.

Yusufknew only too well the fear and anxiety of those waiting for replacement organs.She was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2000, and a rare bloodtype madea matchhard to find.

Eventually her younger brother gave her one of his kidneys and the success of the operation allowed her to finish a degree in cellular and molecular medicine at the University of Ottawa. Her main focus of research was causes and treatment of kidney disease.

Eight years later, when thatkidney failed, she was back on dialysis and a wait list. That wait lasted three years, before she received another kidney in 2012 from a 25-year-old woman who had died but donated her kidneys.

'Nothing is going to stop me'

Yusuf's niece, Sagal Searag, is remembering her auntas an inspirational, well-travelled woman whose spirit brought people together.

She was so focused and so driven to the future,it was amazing.- SagalSearag, niece

"'Nothing is going to stop me' that was her attitude," Searag said Wednesday."She was so focused and so driven to the future, it was amazing. You would not have known she was a sick person or someone who had gone through so much in her life."

Loved ones travelled from near and far for her funeral last weekend to support the family, who is handling the tragic loss with grace, Searagsaid.

"I know that [Yusuf] only lived for a short period of time but she made such an impact and she would have continued to make an impact," she said.

"This was the time that was given to her, and she is a role model for me and others to just kind of do everything that we can for the time that we have here."

Human Library 'book'

Yusufwas a tireless advocate for raising awareness about the benefits of organ donations. She spoke about her personal experiences when she participatedas a 'human book' at CBC Human Library events at the Ottawa Public Library.

Double-transplant survivor Hiba Yusuf dies

7 years ago

Duration 1:41

Hiba Yusuf told us her story in 2015 when she participated in the Human Library project.

"We are saddened to hear about the passing of HibaYusuf," saidRonnieGavsie, president and CEO of the Trillium Gift of Life Network, in a statement of condolence.

"We hope that those close to her and who knew her can take some small solace in the fact that her passion and advocacy helped bring attention to this important cause," Gavsiewrote.