Selena Gomez feels “more like a warrior” with her kidney transplant scar, as she says she's proud of the way she looks because she “wouldn’t be here” if it wasn’t for the surgery.
The 28-year-old singer underwent the procedure in 2017 due to complications stemming from her battle with the autoimmune disease lupus, and whilst she was initially “sad” that the operation would leave a scar on her skin, she’s now proud of the way she looks, because she “wouldn’t be here” if it wasn’t for the surgery.
She said: "At the beginning of my recovery, I was a little bit sad. You're already going through something, and then there's the added pressure of 'I don't look the same. I don't know if I feel comfortable in my body.
“But I'm also around some of the best people, who see beyond the things we sometimes get wrapped up in. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that scar, and now I look at it in a much different way. I feel like I'm more of a warrior.”
Since her operation, Selena has set up her own foundation - named the Selena Gomez Fund for Lupus Research - to support those researching the disease, and has continued to publicly spread awareness and advocate for those suffering with lupus.
And the “Lose You to Love Me” hitmaker hopes her decision to speak out about her health battle can help others to feel less “scared” about their own diagnosis.
Speaking to People magazine for their “People of the Year” issue, she said: "What makes everything I go through worth it is knowing that hopefully a young girl [going through the same thing] doesn't feel as scared.”
Meanwhile, Selena opened up on her body confidence in September when she shared an Instagram post proudly displaying her scar.
She wrote at the time: “When I got my kidney transplant, I remember it being very difficult at first showing my scar. I didn’t want it to be in photos, so I wore things that would cover it up. Now, more than ever, I feel confident in who I am and what I went through...and I’m proud of that. (sic)”
