A FRIEND INDEED
Ailing Selena gets kidney from BFF
When Selena Gomez needed a kidney transplant this summer because of complications from the autoimmune disease lupus, she turned to the one person she knew she could count on — her bestie.
“There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa,” Gomez posted on Instagram Thursday, announcing her transplant.
Gomez (above right), 25, posted this poignant photo of her and Raisa, 29, wearing matching scrubs in hospital beds, each hooked up to tubes.
“She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me,” Gomez told her 110 million followers.
“I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.”
The two had met years ago as child actors.
Gomez starred from 2007 to 2012 as Alex Russo on “The Wiz-Wizards of Waverly Place” on the Disney Channel. Raisa starred from 2008 to 2013 ass Adrian Lee in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” for ABC Family.
A source close to Raisa told People magazinezine that Raisa “hates” thathat anyone ever found out she was the donor.or. She’d hoped to remain ain anonymous — but ut Gomez was intent on crediting her.
“They are moree than friends,” the he source told People of Raisa and Gomez. “They consider each other sisters. They’ve seen each other through a lot over the years.” Gomez began her post by apologizing to fans who noticed she’d been “laying low,” rather than promoting a series of new singles. Gomez said she was spending time “recovering.”
“It was what I needed to do for my overall health,” she wrote.
“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,” she added.
But Gomez has nonetheless been busy recording, modeling and acting, despite her medical issues. In March, she was on the cover of Vogue, and she has been promoting Coach, attending their Spring/Summer 2018 show in Manhattan on Tuesday.
She’s currently in New York shooting a Woody Allen movie.
“Lupus continues to be very misunderstood but progress is being made,” Gomez concludes says in her post, directing fans to get more information from the Lupus Research Alliance Web site: www.lupusresearch.org.