Helene Campbell, the Ottawa woman who underwent a double lung transplant in Toronto on April 7, has suffered a setback in her recovery.
Ms. Campbell's mother, Manon, says after being taken off a ventilator last Saturday, the young woman began to have breathing problems.
Her mother wrote that "unfortunately, breathing became very difficult for her on Sunday evening" and a breathing tube was re-inserted.
Ms. Campbell is receiving steroids to combat the early onset of rejection and is also being treated for a lung infection at Toronto General Hospital.
Her double transplant became necessary after she was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and her condition worsened.
The update was posted on her daughter's website on Wednesday, which was Helene's 21st birthday and Ms. Campbell's mom wrote that her daughter celebrated her birthday in good spirits.
"We witnessed some of her first dance moves, bobbing her head and shoulders to the tune of Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox today," she wrote.
"Despite the challenges, Helene still manages to make us and the nursing staff laugh."
Ms. Campbell's story made world headlines earlier this year after pop star Justin Bieber endorsed her campaign to promote organ donation.
She also made an appearance on the talk show Ellen via Skype, and has gained a legion of followers on Twitter.