Selena Gomez became emotional as she opened up about her recent kidney transplant in an interview.
In her first interview since the transplant, Gomez brought along actress Francia Raisa, whose kidney was used for the transplant.
“My kidneys were just done. That was it,” the tearful actress said in a sneak peek of Today’s interview. “I didn’t want to ask a single person in my life and that was the day, when I came home, I found out she volunteered and did it.”
READ MORE: Selena Gomez reveals she had a kidney transplant due to lupus
“You feel that Francia saved your life,” Today host Savannah Guthrie said to the It Ain’t Me singer.
“Because she did. That’s it,” Gomez said. “I guess I got to the point where it was really, kind of, life or death.”
Gomez underwent the transplant due to her struggle with lupus this summer. Raisa was her donor and the former Wizards of Waverly Place star announced the news on Instagram by posting a photo of her and Raisa holding hands on their hospital beds.
READ MORE: Advocates hope Selena Gomez kidney transplant inspires more living donors
Another photo included in the post shows a scar on Gomez’s abdomen. Rasia, 29, is best known for her role on the series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
The Instagram post didn’t reveal Gomez’s current condition or say where or when the procedure took place.
Gomez revealed her lupus diagnosis in 2015 and took a break from her career last year to deal with anxiety, panic attacks and depression stemming from her battle with the disease.
She has been very public about her transplant in order to help people become educated about donations and transplants.
WATCH: Selena Gomez reveals she had a kidney transplant due to lupus
She released a statement in 2016, confirming she was suffering from complications of the autoimmune disease.
“As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways,” she said in a statement. “I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges.”
READ MORE: Selena Gomez returns to rehab to ‘focus on mental health’
“I want to be proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off,” she continued. “Thank you to all 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 by sharing this, I hope others will be encouraged to address their own issues.”
The disease causes fibrous tissue and inflammation of internal organs, skin rashes and joint pain. It affects women nine times more than men. Organs affected by lupus include the kidneys, heart and lungs.
The full Today interview will air on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31.
Watch the sneak peek of the interview in the video above.
Comments