Selena Gomez reveals kidney transplant in emotional Instagram post

Selena Gomez reveals she had a kidney transplant

Award-winning pop star and actress Selena Gomez revealed to her 126 million Instagram followers that she had a kidney transplant this summer. The 25-year-old shared news of the surgery on her account Thursday morning. She is the most followed person on Instagram. 

Gomez said she needed a new kidney because of her lupus diagnosis and that her longtime friend and actress Francia Raisa was the donor. The post came amid her hectic schedule for New York's fashion week and explained why she was "laying low for part of the summer."

On Instagram, the singer said she needed the transplant for her "overall health" and thanked her "beautiful friend" for making the "ultimate gift and sacrifice."

Lupus is a disease that attacks the body's tissues and organs and is estimated to affect 1.5 million people each year. The singer first revealed her diagnosis of the chronic inflammatory disease in August of last year. In the post she provided a link to learn more about the disease. 

At the time, Gomez said she was not alone and that she hoped others would be encouraged to address their own issues. Gomez posted Thursday that the disease continues to be very misunderstood but is encouraged by the progress being made.

"CBS This Morning" reached out to her team and they told us it was all in her post.

I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. 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. 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. Until then I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery. And finally, 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. Lupus continues to be very misunderstood but progress is being made. For more information regarding Lupus please go to the Lupus Research Alliance website: www.lupusresearch.org/ -by grace through faith

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on

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