Selena Gomez undergoes kidney transplant to treat lupus
Celebrity Selena Gomez reveals she underwent a kidney transplant to treat her lupus diagnosis. What is lupus?
Selena Gomez tearfully accepted Billboard’s Woman of the Year Award thanking her best friend — Francia Raisa — who she says “saved her life.”
“I think Francia should be getting this award. She saved my life … I feel incredibly lucky.”
Raisa donated a kidney to Gomez after the singer/actress’s went into failure in May as a result of her battle with Lupus.
“The Wizards of Waverly Place” star said she would have died had it not been for Raisa.
“It was really kind of life or death. My kidneys were just done. That was it and I didn’t want to ask a single person in my life. That was the day I came home and she volunteered, she did it.”
Raisa said she agreed to donate her organ on the spot.
”(Selena) goes, “I don’t know what to do. The list is seven to ten years long.' And it just vomited out of me. I was like, ‘Of course I’ll get tested.’’’
Raisa said the pair grew even closer as they both healed from the surgery.
“I’m really honored to do this for her ... I’m glad I was a match. She’s standing here and being honored and I’ve seen her career continue to soar, it’s amazing,” she told Billboard Online.
In accepting her award, Gomez said: “Honestly, I couldn’t be more grateful for the position that I’ve been given in my career from 7 to 14 to now.
“I want people to know that I respect the platform that I have, so deeply because I knew that I wanted to be a part of something great, I wanted people to feel great.”
But the 25-year-old said it hadn’t always been easy.
“I’m reminded by a team of people who believe in me, even when I don’t myself and I couldn’t be more luckier.”
Other Billboard Woman of the Year winners include Pink, Beyonce and Taylor Swift.
At the end of her speech, the star hinted a new album may be on the way.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever repay it but maybe I’ll make an epic album next year.”
This article originally appeared on news.com.au.
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