Actress Bijou Phillips Needs New Kidney After First One Failed

Actress Bijou Phillips is in the hospital at UCLA in Los Angeles. She needs a new kidney because her first one failed. She is asking people to help her find a living donor. She wants more time with her daughter and loved ones.
By Newsroom | Health, Celebrities |

Bijou Phillips, 45, has been hospitalized at UCLA Health in Los Angeles and is urgently seeking a kidney donor. This follows the failure of her first kidney transplant, which she received in 2017. Phillips has returned to dialysis as she awaits a compatible living donor, sharing her plea on Instagram with a link to a form for potential donors.

Health Background and Current Situation

Phillips has a lifelong history of kidney issues, having been born with underdeveloped kidneys. She spent her first three months of life on dialysis in the NICU. Her first kidney transplant in 2017, a gift from a friend, provided her with eight years of improved health, during which she raised her daughter, Fianna. However, complications arose, including the BK virus, which led to cellular and antibody rejection of the transplanted kidney.

Read More: New Papers Show Epstein Had Health Problems with Sex Hormones

Bijou Phillips Urgently Seeks Kidney Donor: What Is a BK Virus and How It's Threatening Her Kidneys - 1

  • Hospitalization Location: UCLA Health, Los Angeles.

  • Current Treatment: Dialysis.

  • Urgent Need: Second kidney transplant, seeking a living donor.

  • Medical History: Born with underdeveloped kidneys, first transplant in 2017.

  • Complications: BK virus, cellular and antibody rejection.

Public Appeal for Donation

Phillips has turned to social media to raise awareness and find a donor. She posted on Instagram, detailing her need and encouraging followers to share her message and consider becoming a living donor. She also shared a link to a Google Form for individuals interested in initiating the donation process. The actress emphasized that "time is of the essence" and her primary motivation is to have "more time with my daughter, family, and friends."

"I need help finding a kidney. I am in need of a kidney." - Bijou Phillips, Instagram post.

Read More: Julia Bradbury Shares Health Update With IV Treatment

Her representative confirmed her hospitalization and the urgent need for a transplant to multiple media outlets.

Bijou Phillips Urgently Seeks Kidney Donor: What Is a BK Virus and How It's Threatening Her Kidneys - 2

Understanding the BK Virus

The BK virus (BKV), also known as polyomavirus, is a significant concern for organ transplant recipients. While most people are infected with BKV at some point in their lives, it typically remains dormant. However, the immunosuppressive medications required to prevent organ rejection after a transplant can cause the virus to reawaken.

  • Reactivation: Triggered by anti-rejection medications post-transplant.

  • Impact: Can damage the transplanted kidney and lead to rejection.

  • Persistence: Once a person is infected, the virus remains in the body.

Sources indicate that individuals who have undergone organ transplants are at a heightened risk for BKV activation. Symptoms of BKV infection can include fever, seizures, and muscle fatigue, but its presence can also be detected through medical monitoring.

Read More: Actor James Van Der Beek Dies at 48 from Bowel Cancer; Early Signs Often Missed

Bijou Phillips Urgently Seeks Kidney Donor: What Is a BK Virus and How It's Threatening Her Kidneys - 3

Family and Personal Context

Bijou Phillips shares her 11-year-old daughter, Fianna, with ex-husband Danny Masterson. Masterson is currently serving a prison sentence after being convicted of rape. Phillips recently filed to change their daughter's surname from Fianna Francis Masterson to Fianna Francis Phillips. Reports suggest Phillips has full custody of their daughter.

Friends and family members have reportedly undergone the donor matching process but have been unsuccessful so far.

Bijou Phillips Urgently Seeks Kidney Donor: What Is a BK Virus and How It's Threatening Her Kidneys - 4

Expert Perspective on Transplant Challenges

Organ transplantation is a complex medical procedure that involves significant risks. While transplants can offer a new lease on life, recipients face lifelong challenges, including managing immunosuppression and the potential for various complications.

  • Immunosuppression: Essential to prevent rejection, but increases susceptibility to infections and virus reactivation.

  • Graft Failure: Transplanted organs can fail over time due to a variety of factors, including rejection, recurrence of original disease, or other medical complications.

  • Viral Complications: Viruses like BK, CMV, and EBV pose particular risks to transplant patients.

Read More: Sofia Coppola and Daughters Seen at Marc Jacobs Fashion Show

Medical professionals often emphasize the critical need for a strong support system, adherence to medical regimens, and vigilant monitoring for transplant recipients.

Sources

Read More: Know the Early Signs of Colon Cancer

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is Bijou Phillips in the hospital?
She is in the hospital because her first kidney transplant failed and she needs a new one. She is currently on dialysis.
Q: What is Bijou Phillips asking for?
She is asking for a living person to donate a kidney to her. She has shared a way for people to sign up if they want to help.
Q: How long has she had kidney problems?
Bijou Phillips has had kidney problems since she was born. She had her first kidney transplant in 2017.
Q: What caused the first transplant to fail?
A virus called the BK virus and her body rejecting the new kidney caused the transplant to fail.