Popular singer, Selena Gomez recently joined the list of famous kidney transplant recipients. A list featuring several prominent celebrities such as George Lopez, Natalie Cole and Tracy Morgan, whose kidney transplant journeys many people remain unaware of. Kidney disease or transplantation isn’t ‘glamorous’ and many stars shy away from disclosing their journey, but it’s vital for those in the limelight to let their stories be heard in order to show the world at large that kidney disease effects all different kinds of people, but doesn’t need to be a death sentence or stand in the way of successfully attaining one’s dreams.

Selena’s kidney problems had escalated due to complications from her own struggle with the disease, but luckily for her, help was close to home. Her kidney donor was none other than her best friend, Francia Raisa. They recently divulged the details of the journey leading up to the procedure and what it meant to each of them in a forthcoming interview with NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie. The emotional exchange was punctuated by Selena’s sincere assertion that her friend had literally “saved her life” with the transplant.  

Hopefully, other prominent celebrities will follow Gomez’s lead in sharing their story so that kidney transplantation and CKD will garner more of the widespread attention it truly deserves. In the same vein, this story also serves to reaffirm the superhero status of kidney donors everywhere and perhaps, even inspire some others out there to donate.  

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