Actress Bijou Phillips is searching for a living kidney donor after her body rejected a transplant she received eight years ago.
The “Almost Famous” star posted an urgent plea on Instagram on Wednesday to her followers.
“I need help finding a kidney. I’m asking as a friend, a sister, an aunt, and most important, a single mother to an incredible and brave daughter,” she began her post, referencing her 11-year-old daughter Fianna, whom she shares with her ex-husband, “That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson.
“I was born with underdeveloped kidneys and spent the first three months of life in the NICU on dialysis,” the 45-year-old explained. “In 2017, I received the incredible gift of a kidney from a dear friend. That transplant gave me 8 precious years to be a mother to my daughter—but I have had many complications since, including the BK virus which led to both a cellular and antibody rejection.”
The donated organ has since been rejected due to complications that included the BK virus, forcing Phillips back onto dialysis. The National Kidney Foundation describes the BK virus as a common virus that can reactivate after a transplant in people with weakened immunity and lead to kidney dysfunction.
The “Raising Hope” star then asked people who were interested in becoming a living donor to apply through the link in her bio.
“Please help me find a living donor so that I can have more time with my daughter, family, and friends,” Phillips wrote. “Time is of the essence.”