SELENA Gomez is an American actress, singer, businesswoman and producer who has faced a series of health problems.
The Love You Like A Love Song singer, 31, previously revealed a debilitating illness forced her to undergo a kidney transplant.
What disease does Selena Gomez suffer from?
Selena suffers from an incurable autoimmune disease called lupus, which she was diagnosed with in 2014.
This makes the immune system overactive and attacks healthy parts of the body, causing inflammation and pain.
This disease causes damage to the joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.
Lupus symptoms can be controlled with medication, but there is no cure.
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Selena revealed she struggled with panic attacks, anxiety and depression in 2016, which she said were triggered by the illness.
Who gave Selena Gomez a kidney?
The Disney star was forced to undergo a kidney transplant due to health complications caused by lupus.
She suffered organ damage from an autoimmune disease, prompting one of her best friends to become her kidney donor.
Selena praised her friend and actress Francia Raisa, 35, for giving her the “ultimate gift” and volunteering to donate her organ.
The two had been friends since 2008 and had remained close throughout the singer’s health issues.
Francia is best known for her roles in Bring It On: All or Nothing, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Grown-ish and How I Met Your Father.
Selena said: “She volunteered and did it – and let alone someone who wants to volunteer, it’s incredibly difficult to find a match.
“The fact that she’s compatible, I mean, it’s amazing. It’s not real.”
But there has been speculation of a rift between the duo in recent years and it is believed they no longer speak to each other.
When did Selena Gomez receive a kidney transplant?
Selena revealed that she had undergone a kidney transplant on September 14, 2017, in a candid Instagram post.
The Rare Beauty founder said she is “incredibly lucky” to have Francia as a friend and is offering to donate the vital organ.
On the Today show, Francia revealed: “[Selena] said: “I don’t know what to do, [donor wait] the list lasts seven to ten years.
“And I just threw up. I was like, ‘Sure, I’m going to get tested.'”
She also uploaded the same hospital photo as Selena, along with a touching caption about helping her friend.
It read: “I am beyond grateful that God trusted me with something that not only saved a life, but changed mine in the process.
“This is part of our story, and we will share it soon, but what is important now is that it is not the only story.”
What is the life expectancy of a person with lupus?
Lupus varies in intensity and degree, meaning that some sufferers find their symptoms more difficult to control.
Selena revealed she still takes medication to manage her condition, telling fans it sometimes makes her “shake.”
With continued treatment and regular checkups, up to 90 percent of people with lupus can expect to live a normal life.
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, patients should follow their doctor’s instructions, take their medications as prescribed, and live a healthy lifestyle.
Only Murders In the Building actress Selena is one of a handful of celebrities battling “the invisible illness.”
Toni Braxton, Kelle Bryan, Lady Gaga, Seal, Nick Cannon and Kelle Bryan also revealed they were battling lupus.
