Singer and actress Selena Gomez revealed that she spent the summer recovering from a kidney transplant in a post on her Instagram. Selena Gomez needed the transplant due to her lupus diagnosis, which she announced in 2015. “It was what I needed to do for my overall health,” Gomez said. “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.” The post featured a picture of Gomez and donor, Francia Raisa, holding hands and smiling in hospital beds. Raisa, a longtime friend of Gomez’s, is a 29-year-old actress best known for the ABC family show ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’. “She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me,” Gomez wrote of Raisa. “I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis. Lupus continues to be very misunderstood but progress is being made.” Despite the invasive surgery and recovery, Gomez released new singles this summer, “Bad Liar” and “Fetish.” Gomez began her career starring in the children’s television series ‘Barney & Friends’. She rose to fame playing the lead role of Alex Russo in the Disney Channel series ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’. She also starred in films such as ‘Ramona & Beezus’, ‘Monte Carlo’ and ‘Spring Breakers’. dtm Gomez released her solo debut album ‘Stars Dance’. Published in Daily Times, September 25th 2017.