Bijou Phillips' Second Transplant
Bijou Phillips Undergoes Second Kidney Transplant, Citing Minimally Invasive Surgery for Quick Recovery
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Key Points
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Bijou Phillips was born with underdeveloped kidneys and spent the first three months of life in the NICU on dialysis as a baby.
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In February, she publicly pleaded for a living kidney donor, noting she is a single mother to her 11-year-old daughter Fianna and asking for help from friends, family, and others.
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The match was so close it felt like the kidney came from one of her own parents, a sentiment the donor exchange and voucher program helped achieve.
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Surgeon Dr. Veale performed a minimally invasive approach by cutting fascia only and not the surrounding muscle, contributing to a notably quicker recovery and less pain medication.
Bijou Phillips, 46, has received a second kidney transplant after months of desperate waiting and an urgent public plea for help. Rolling Stone reported that the former actress and model shared the news on Instagram, calling the surgery a success and describing her recovery as going remarkably well.
The transplant came five months after Phillips posted an emotional appeal to friends, family, and strangers for a living kidney donor. She is a single mother to her 11-year-old daughter Fianna and said earlier this year she was "hanging on by a thread," according to National Enquirer.
Brother's Donation Unlocked a Near-Perfect Match
Phillips did not receive her brother Aron Wilson's kidney directly. Instead, Wilson donated his kidney to a stranger through UCLA's kidney exchange voucher program. That act earned Phillips a voucher, which UCLA used to find her a highly compatible donor match just a few weeks later, according to Just Jared.
The match was so close that Phillips said it felt like the kidney came from one of her own parents. That level of compatibility is rare and can mean a lower risk of rejection. The voucher program made that possible even though her brother could not donate to her directly.
Minimally Invasive Surgery Speeds Up Her Recovery
Surgeon Dr. Veale and the UCLA team used a technique that cut only the fascia — the thin tissue layer over the muscle — and left the surrounding muscle completely intact. That approach meant less damage to her body and less pain after surgery, The Mix reported.
Phillips said her recovery has been noticeably faster and required far less pain medication than her first transplant. She praised the UCLA medical staff publicly on Instagram, expressing deep gratitude for their care and skill throughout the process.
A Lifetime of Kidney Problems Dating Back to Birth
Phillips was born with underdeveloped kidneys. She spent the first three months of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit on dialysis as a newborn. Kidney disease has followed her throughout her entire life, making this second transplant part of a much longer story.
Her first transplant came in 2017, when a close friend donated a kidney to her. That kidney eventually failed after Phillips developed BK virus, a common but serious infection that triggered both cellular and antibody rejection. She returned to dialysis before her public plea for help in February, Rolling Stone reported.
Public Plea Drew Attention to Living Donor Shortage
In February, Phillips posted a direct appeal on Instagram asking anyone willing to help to come forward. She openly discussed being a single mother and said she needed a living donor to survive. The post drew wide attention and renewed public conversation about the shortage of available kidney donors in the US.
Phillips has continued to document her journey online since the transplant. She thanked donors and the medical team and said her new kidney is already showing promising signs. Known for her roles in Almost Famous and Bully, she has used her platform to highlight the real human stakes of organ donation, according to The Mix.
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