SELENA Gomez is an American actress, singer, businesswoman and producer who has faced a series of health battles.
The Love You Like A Love Song singer, 31, previously revealed that a debilitating condition left her needing a kidney transplant.
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What illness does Selena Gomez suffer from?
Selena suffers from an incurable autoimmune disease called lupus, which she was diagnosed with in 2014.
It causes the immune system to become hyperactive and attack healthy parts of the body, causing inflammation and pain.
The condition causes damage to joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and the brain.
Lupus symptoms can be controlled by medication, but there is no cure.
Selena revealed she battled a bout of panic attacks, anxiety and depression in 2016, which she said were triggered by the disease.
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 due to the autoimmune disease, prompting one of her best friends to become her kidney donor.
Selena praised her pal and actress Francia Raisa, 35, for giving her the “ultimate gift” and stepping up to volunteer to donate her organ.
The pair had been friends since 2008 and had remained close throughout the singer’s health struggles.
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 somebody wanting to volunteer, it is incredibly difficult to find a match.
“The fact that she was a match, I mean, that’s unbelievable. That’s not real.”
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But there has been speculation of a rift between the duo in recent years and it is believed they no longer speak.
When did Selena Gomez receive a kidney transplant?
Selena revealed she had undergone a kidney transplant on September 14, 2017, in a heartfelt Instagram post.
The Rare Beauty founder said she was “incredibly blessed” to have Francia as a friend and for her to offer to donate the vital organ.
On the Today show, Francia revealed: “[Selena] goes, ‘I don’t know what to do, the [donor wait] list is seven to 10 years long.
“And it just vomited out of me. I was like, ‘Of course I’ll get tested.’”
She also uploaded the same hospital snap as Selena alongside an emotional caption about helping her friend.
It read: “I am beyond grateful that God would trust me with something that not only saved a life, but changed mine in the process.
“This was part of our story, and we will share it soon, but what is important now is that this is not the only story.”
What is the life expectancy of a person with lupus?
Lupus varies in intensity and degree, meaning some sufferers find their symptoms more difficult to control.
Selena revealed she remains on medication to manage the condition, telling fans it sometimes causes her to “shake”.
With ongoing treatment and regular checkups, up to 90 per cent of people with lupus can expect to live a normal lifespan.
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, sufferers should follow the instructions of their physician, take their medication as prescribed and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Only Murders In the Building actress Selena is one of a handful of celebrities who are fighting “the invisible illness.”
Toni Braxton, Kelle Bryan, Lady Gaga, Seal, Nick Cannon and Kelle Bryan have all similarly revealed that they’re fighting lupus.
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