/10/1: Selena Gomez Opens Up About Bff Francia Raisa Saving Her Life With Kidney Donation
Last month, the world was shocked to learn that Selena Gomez had undergone a kidney transplant due to her lupus condition, with an organ donated by her friend Francia Raisa.
Delivering news of the operation via Instagram to her fans, the 25-year-old said there would come a point when she’d be ready to talk about the life-changing ordeal.
‘I honestly look forward to sharing with you, soon my journey through these past several months as I have always wanted to do with you,’ she wrote in the caption to a picture of her and Raisa lying side-by-side in hospital.
Well, that moment turned out to be today.
In an interview with the Today show – which is scheduled to air on Monday and Tuesday – the ‘Fetish’ singer opens up about the moment she found out she needed a transplant, her concerns regarding finding a donor, and her reaction when she found out that Raisa was willing to give her a kidney.
In Twitter post of a teaser from the interview, Gomez reveals her kidneys were completely ‘done’.
‘You feel that Francia saved your life?’ interviewer Savannah Guthrie asks Gomez during the clip.
‘Because she did. That’s it,’ Gomez replies.
You feel that Francia saved your life? –@savannahguthrie
TODAY
As a result of Gomez’s openness about her transplant, the Lupus Research Alliance has seen donations skyrocket and, as of 18 September, they had reached an incredible £370,000 .
What a strong bond Raisa and Gomez have.
What Are The Symptoms Of Lupus Nephritis
So what were Selenas symptoms likely to have been? Initially, she may not have had symptoms but at every rheumatology appointment, a urine sample would be tested for protein and blood this is an early indication of problems with the kidneys. If there is a lot of protein in the urine it can become foamy.
High blood pressure is another indication and blood pressure is usually checked regularly.
Swelling in hands ankles and feet is another indicator. This oedema shows that the kidneys arent filtering out waste products effectively.
Bloods may show a high level of a waste product called creatine.
Selena Gomez Hits Back At A Fan Who Says She Drinks Excessively Despite Kidney Transplant
Selena Gomez is defending herself after a fan criticized a joke she made on TikTok.
In the joke, Gomez reacts to a video of Dawn Bantel, an Arizona-based naturopathic doctor who relays the definition of heavy drinking. The CDC defines heavy drinking as 15 or more drinks a week for men and eight or more drinks per week for women, Bantel says as Gomez bites her nails and mouths Oh, feigning nervousness . Despite the fact Gomez literally captioned the video, Its a joke, she still received criticism.
Per People, the Gomez Source fan Twitter account a screenshot of a comment in which someone says, So one of your best friends gives you her kidney and you continue to drink excessively? Damn, Selena.
Gomezs reply? It was a joke, ass. Simple but to the point. And most importantly: true.
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You can watch the TikTok that started it all, below:
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Selena Gomez received a kidney transplant in 2017 from her best friend, Francia Raisa, which she needed as a result of complications from lupus.
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Pop Star Selena Gomez Reveals Kidney Transplant
There arent words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend, she wrote. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.”
Gomez, who also posted a photo of the scar from her transplant surgery in the same Instagram post, promised her fans that shed reveal more details about her health in the near future.
I honestly look forward to sharing with you, soon my journey through these past several months as I have always wanted to do with you, she said.
The entertainer has been public about her battle with lupus, an autoimmune disease that prompted her to take some time off last year to deal with anxiety, panic attacks and depression.
In 2014, she had chemotherapy to treat the disease.
There are two types of lupus. One form, discoid lupus, only affects the skin. Systemic lupus erythematosus, however, harms the skin, joints, kidneys and brain and may be fatal, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
“Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can, among other things, affect the kidneys,” said NBC News medical correspondent Dr. John Torres. “If it causes the immune system to attack the kidneys enough they can fail, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.”
Systemic lupus causes the bodys autoimmune cells the defense system which usually protects against disease to attack tissues and organs like the kidneys, triggering inflammation.
Related: Lupus Patient Makes Antibodies to Fight HIV
Why Did Selena Gomez Get A Kidney Transplant
Back in 2015, Selena revealed she had contracted lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes a healthy body to attack itself.
Hearing her diagnosis made her feel “equal parts terrified and relieved,” she said in an acceptance speech upon receiving the 2019 McLean Award from McLean Hospital in Massachusetts.
Lupus wrongly prompts the body to attack healthy organs.
The immune system creates excessive amounts of antibodies that attach themselves to different parts of the body, which cause inflammation and pain.
It can cause damage to joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and the brain.
In 2016 the singer suffered a period of panic attacks, anxiety and depression which she linked to her disease.
She was forced to undergo a kidney transplant in 2017, two years after her initial diagnosis.
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Selena Gomez Embraces Her Kidney Transplant Scar In A New Photo
Selena Gomez didnt always feel comfortable showing her scars. But in a new photo shared on Instagram, the actor, singer, and now beauty entrepreneur is flaunting the kidney transplant scar on her inner thigh.
When I got my kidney transplant, I remember it being very difficult at first showing my scar, Gomez wrote alongside the photo, in which she poses by a pool in a bathing suit. I didnt want it to be in photos, so I wore things that would cover it up. Now, more than ever, I feel confident in who I am and what I went throughand Im proud of that.
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Gomez revealed her kidney transplant in 2017 as part of her lupus treatment, SELF previously reported. Im very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer, she wrote at the time. I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health.
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Gomez received her transplant kidney from best friend and Grown-ish actor Francesca Raísa. Raísa and Gomez were living together when they found out Gomez would need the transplant, and soon after, Raísa found out she was a donor match.
Watch our full interview with Raísa here:
Now Gomez appears to be feeling good, both inside and out. Her post is a refreshing reminder to be proud of our scars and the stories they tell.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms
The symptoms vary considerably among individuals. While some of the symptoms are noticeable, others are usually less dramatic and may disappear within days. However, the general signs of Lupus Nephritis include:
- Edema: This is caused by excessive accumulation of fluid in the body, making it difficult for the kidneys to perform efficiently. This is characterized by swelling in the legs, feet, or ankles, and less often in the hands or face.
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Did Demi Lovato And Miley Cyrus
While all four women had friendships at different points over the years, Lovato and Cyrus had a falling out after the I Love Me singer got sober and the Last Song actress was in party phrase. When Cyrus and Lovato came together in March 2020 via Instagram Live, they reflected on their falling out.
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What Does It Affect And Whats It Like To Live With
Because the immune system attacks healthy cells, it can cause damage to joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and the brain.
Common complaints include stiff and painful joints, fever, fatigue, rashes and sensitive skin, chest pain, hair loss and mouth ulcers.
The early symptoms of the disease can include bloody or foamy urine, unexplained weight gain, high blood pressure or swelling in the legs, ankles or around the eyes.
Lupus Association of NSW president Barbara Ward said it was a tough life for many patients.
Their day-to-day lives are horrendous, Mrs Ward said.
People are very sick they are in pain in all parts of their body.
They are depressed they cant go out they have rashes on their face.
It really is one of the most debilitating illnesses in modern times.
She said apart from a rash on the face, steroid medications can make people living with lupus look healthier than they really are, making it a hidden illness, which can be lethal.
This is on top of the fact the pain can come and go, making it hard for loved ones to understand the severity of the illness during a flare-up.
Selena Gomez Slams Tasteless Kidney Transplant Joke In The Good Fight
Selena Gomezs fans to the rescue. The ex-Disney Channel stars followers slammed Paramount+ series The Good Fight over its joke about kidney transplants.
The 29-year-olds fans took to Twitter to raise havoc over the legal dramas references to her health battles.
In Season 5, Episode 4, a conversation between characters Marissa , Jay and Jim about comedy and cancel culture arises. In the show, Jay explained that nowadays, it feels like one a permission slip to tell a joke. Jim then proceeds to print out some jokes. Jay then asked if there are any contentious topics that were banned. Um, necrophilia? Jim answered back. No, that could be funny, Marissa chimed in. Autism, Jay added.
Selena Gomezs kidney transplant, Jim continued. After the scene aired, Gomezs fans began tweeting statements such as, When will people stop doing this !!! RESPECT SELENA GOMEZ!
Many users followed suit and kept repeatedly tweeting the phrase, RESPECT SELENA GOMEZ!Another fan added, So were usin Selenas kidney transplant as a trend? Multiple times has this happened in media, it needs to stop. #RespectSelenaGomez.
The Lose You To Love Me singer revealed in September 2017 that she stepped out of the limelight to undergo a kidney transplant to help treat her lupus. Friend and fellow actress Francia Raisa graciously donated her kidney at the time.
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The Rare Beauty founder thanked her supporters for coming to her defense.
My fans always have my back. LOVE YOU, she added, along with dropping a link to sign up to be an organ donor.
I am not sure how writing jokes about organ transplants for television shows has become a thing but sadly it has apparently. I hope in the next writers room when one of these tasteless jokes are presented its called out immediately and doesnt make it on air.
Selena Gomez
A source close to the show tells THR, If you watch the episode in full, the reference to Gomez is part of a discussion the characters are having about topics that are not OK to make fun of and the idea of cancel culture and being cancelled for telling a bad joke. The reference is that her transplant is not something you can joke about.
The controversy comes not long after PeacocksSaved by the Bell reboot was criticized for the same offense late last year. In response, Peacock apologized for making light of Gomezs health struggles, in addition to making a donation The Selena Gomez Fund for Lupus Research at USC.
In 2017, Gomez underwent a kidney transplant as a result of her ongoing battle with lupus, an autoimmune disorder that she was diagnosed with in 2011.
Saved By The Bell Apologises To Selena Gomez For Kidney Transplant Joke
The makers of Saved By The Bell have apologised to Selena Gomez for a joke made in a recent episode about her kidney transplant.
A spokesperson for NBC said it was “never our intention” to joke about her surgery.
The rebooted series features an episode where two characters argue over who donated a kidney to the singer in 2017.
NBC also said they had been in touch with Gomez about making a donation to her charity.
Selena, 28, received a kidney transplant three years ago after being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Lupus.
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Tame The Immune System With Medication
Once diagnosed, the lupus patient’s overactive immune system is then knocked out with a combination of drugs with the goal of either slowing down the rate of kidney damage or putting the nephritis into remission.
But doing so leaves them at high risk of infection, Masani notes.
The base medication is the steroid prednisone, which he calls a “horrible drug. Any patient that has taken it will tell you that … It gives young women the heart and bones of a 60-year-old.”
Over the last 20 years, he says, doctors have had increasing success with a new anti-rejection drug called Mycophenolate Mofetil.
“It’s made a huge difference for transplant patients and for lupus patients,” he says, noting it has come to usurp chemotherapy as a first-line treatment.
The newer regimen is still rough on patients, he cautions. “All of these drugs have side effects. You get nothing for free. These young women with lupus go through hell on this stuff.”
The bottom line: Doctors can’t cure lupus nephritis, Masani emphasizes, but “we can treat it and hopefully slow it down so that not everyone ends up needing a transplant or dialysis.”
Theyve Taken Such Good Care Of Me So Its My Turn To Show My Gratitude Gomez Added
The singer didnt disclose what or how much she would be donating, but we love how she used her own experiences to give back to hospitals in need.
In September 2017, Gomez revealed she received a kidney transplant over the previous summer after being diagnosed with lupus. The singers friend and fellow actress Francia Raisa donated her kidney to Gomez.
I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery, Gomez wrote in a September 2017 Instagram post. And finally, there arent words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me.
The Lose You to Love Me singer recently commemorated her transplant with a tiny tattoo of her surgery date. Raisa also got the same tattoo.
Gomezs donation to Cedars Sinai comes directly from the heart, and we love how she has found a way to reciprocate all that healthcare workers have done for her.
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Selena Gomezs Mom Was Told She Had Days To Live Amid Health Scare
Selena Gomezs new tattoo is even more epic than fans predicted.
Celebrity tattoo artist Bang Bang teased a large design on the Rare singers upper back last week, and now hes revealed the artwork as a huge watercolor flower, dripping between her shoulder blades.
Thank you for always being wonderful, Bang Bang captioned a close-up photo of the bright pink bloom via Instagram on Tuesday.
But that wasnt the only surprise. Shortly after giving fans a close-up look at the stars new ink, Bang Bang revealed that he also did a matching design on Cara Delevingnes side.
I had so much fun making these tattoos thanks for always trusting me Cara, the tattoo artist captioned a photo of the model. Fyi I didnt tell them til the end that these were my first watercolor tattoos ever.
Delevingne and Gomez, both 29, have been friends for years, and recently shared a sweet moment on the Kiss Cam at a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden last month. The British beauty has also landed a role on the second season of Gomezs Hulu series, Only Murders in the Building, which is currently filming.
Though the meaning wasnt immediately clear and neither Gomez nor Delevingne have posted pics or addressed the design on social media both stars are well versed in friendship tattoos.
Gomez shares a few tattoos with some of her closest friends, while Delevingne has ink bonds with Paris Jackson, Kaia Gerber and ex-girlfriend Ashley Benson.