Francia Raisa donated a kidney to her friend Selena Gomez in 2017 (Picture: Getty Images)
Selena Gomez has spoken out about how much it meant that her friend Francia Raisa donated a kidney to her.
The 30-year-old singer was facing complications from lupus in 2017, when her now 34-year-old friend learned her kidney would help her recoer.
Lupus is a long-term condition which causes ‘joint pain, skin rashes and tiredness’.
At its most severe it can produce inflammation causing ‘severe damage to the heart, lungs, brain or kidneys’ which ‘can be life threatening’, according to the NHS website.
Only Murders In The Building actress Selena was diagnosed with the condition in 2014, and three years later had the kidney transplant from her old friend.
Now, in the latest episode of Apple TV+’s documentary series Dear …, Selena has reflected on receiving the kidney from the How I Met Your Father star.
Selena was diagnosed with autoimmune condition lupus in 2014 (Picture: Getty Images)
Francia and Selena were rumoured to be throwing shade at each other in November (Picture: Getty Images)
‘My best friend. Her name is Francia. She said, “No, I am absolutely getting tested,”‘ remembered Selena.
‘And within three days, she went to get tested, and she was a match. And it was one of those moments where I felt watched over. I know I was so so so lucky.’
The It Ain’t Me singer continued: ‘I understand that that doesn’t happen for a lot of people, and I know the outcome of some of those situations and how serious they are, so I do not take it lightly that it’s happened to me that way.’
‘I will never ever, ever be more in debt to a person than Francia,’ she added.
‘The idea of someone not even second-guessing to be a donor was unbelievably overwhelming.’
This comes after the pair were rumoured to be throwing shade at each other in November as Selena told Rolling Stone in an interview her only celebrity pal was Taylor Swift.
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‘I never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities. My only friend in the industry really is Taylor [Swift], so I remember feeling like I didn’t belong,’ she said.
As the singer’s quotes were highlighted by media outlets online, Raisa was said to have commented, ‘Interesting’, before later deleting the reported reaction.
‘Sorry I didn’t mention every person I know,’ Selena later commented via TikTok on a clip of Stephanie Tleiji talking about the alleged drama.
But whatever that was last year, the Good For You singer is thankful for her friend for her act of generosity.
Back in 2017, Selena broke the news of the transplant on Instagram with a picture of the duo holding hands in hospital.
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Alongside the picture, she wrote: ‘So 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’.
‘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.’
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What a thing to do for a friend.
