Hours after Selena Gomez revealed that she had a kidney transplant over the summer, her donor and best friend, Francia Raisa, is speaking out.
“I am beyond grateful that God would trust me with something that not only saved a life, but changed mine in the process,” the Bring It On actress, 29, wrote alongside an Instagram picture on Thursday, September 14, of herself and Gomez, 25, in hospital gowns before the transplant. “This was part of our story and we will share it soon, but what is important now is that this is not the only story. For more information regarding Lupus, please go to Lupus Research Alliance website: www.lupusresearch.org — Love you sis, so glad we we’re on this journey together. ❤️ xx.”
Sarah Hyland, who received a kidney transplant in April 2012, commented on the post, “You’re an angel!”
As previously reported, the “Fetish” singer announced that she had the surgery via Instagram on Thursday. “I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I need to do for my overall health,” she captioned a photo of the duo holding hands in their hospital gowns. “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. Until then I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery. And finally, there aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa.”
The Secret Life of the American Teenager alum and the “Bad Liar” songstress have been longtime friends and have featured one another on their respective Instagram accounts numerous times.
In July, Raisa shared a photo of the pals wine tasting, captioning the pic, “My forever friend.”
“She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me,” Gomez, who also posted a photo of her scar, continued. “I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.”
The 13 Reasons Why producer was diagnosed with the illness in 2015 and revealed in August 2016 that she would be taking a break from her music to prioritize her health. “I want to be proactive and focus on mining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off,” the former Disney star said in a statement to Us Weekly at the time. “Thank you to all of my fans for your support. You know how special you are to me, but I need to face this head on to ensure I am doing everything possible to be my best. I know I am not alone and by sharing this, I hope others will be encouraged to address their own issues.”
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