Selena Gomez’ kidney transplant was the difference between "life or death".
The 25-year-old singer’s kidneys were failing and were "just done" due to complications related to her battle with the autoimmune disease Lupus – in which the body attacks healthy cells – but luckily her long-time friend Francia Raisa offered to be an organ donor for her, an operation which saved her life.
Speaking about the procedure on the ‘Today’ TV show, Selena said: "I guess I got to the point where it was really kind of life or death. My kidneys were just done."
Although Selena was suffering she didn’t want to ask "a single person in [her] life" to come to her aid and potentially give her a kidney.
She added: "That was it and I didn’t want to ask a single person in my life … and she volunteered and did it."
And Selena has credited her 29-year-old pal for saving her life.
Asked if she felt Francia had rescued her, Selena replied: "Because she did. That’s it."
The ‘Fetish’ singer announced the news she had had the operation on social media in September, and she has admitted she felt "incredibly blessed" to have a friend who would make a huge "sacrifice" for her.
Speaking previously in an Instagram post of the pair laying in a hospital bed next to one another, Selena wrote: "There aren’t 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. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis (sic)."
But Francia has hinted she would not have had it anyway, and is "beyond grateful" she was trusted to donate her body part.
She wrote at the time: "I am beyond grateful that God would trust me with something that not only saved a life, but changed mine in the process."
Selena Gomez’s ‘life or death’ kidney transplant
