Selena Gomez has explained why she chose to keep a low-profile over the summer, despite releasing new music, revealing she had undergone a kidney transplant.
The singer, 25, revealed she had the surgery due to her battle with Lupus - something she has openly spoken about in the past - and had received the necessary organ donation from her best friend Francia Raisa.
In a heart-felt Instagram post, Selena thanked her pal for giving her the 'ultimate gift' as she candidly spoke about the operation and her health battle while sharing a photo of her in her hospital bed, as well as another of her surgery scar.
Selena revealed that she had undergone the surgery over the summer and has spent the last few months recovering from the operation that has left her with a scar across the lower part of her stomach on the right hand side.
In an emotional statement, Selena had penned: '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.
'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.'
While she has been vocal about her battle with the autoimmune disease, Selena has also put her money where her mouth is, announcing in May 2016 her plans to donate proceeds from ticket sales of her Revival tour to Alliance for Lupus Research.
However, just months later, she was forced to pull out of the international tour when due to health concerns. Selena previously had to cancel her Stars Dance tour in 2013 in order to undergo chemotherapy treatment for the chronic inflammatory disease.
When Selena announced she was cancelling the Asian and Australian leg of her tour, sources claimed she may have lupus, while others suggested she had issues with addiction.
'I wanted so badly to say, "You guys have no idea. I’m in chemotherapy. You’re a**holes",' she told Billboard. 'I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again.'
Selena revealed that being the subject of relentless gossip while she was going through treatment proved to be hurtful - and subsequently made her angry.
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