Actress Bijou Phillips makes plea for kidney donor
Actress Bijou Phillips is reaching out to the public for help in an urgent health matter.
The "Almost Famous" actress posted a plea to Instagram on Wednesday, writing, "I need help finding a kidney."
In the post, Phillips gave more details about her kidney issues, writing that she was "born with underdeveloped kidneys and spent the first three months of life in the NICU on dialysis."
"In 2017, I received the incredible gift of a kidney from a dear friend," she wrote. "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."
BK virus, also called polyomavirus, is a common virus that is frequently contracted in childhood and is latent in a wide range of people. It can be reactivated after a kidney transplant, particularly in people with weakened immunity, according to the National Kidney Foundation, and can lead to kidney dysfunction.
Symptoms of BK virus infection can include changes in vision, changes in color of urine, pain or difficulty urinating or more frequent urinating, trouble breathing, fever, and muscle pain, among others.
Phillips said she is currently "back on dialysis" as a result of her infection.
"Please help me find a living donor so that I can have more time with my daughter, family, and friends," she wrote in her Instagram post. "Time is of the essence."
She shared a link to a Google form in her Instagram bio, surveying potential kidney donors.
ABC News has reached out to a representative for Phillips for more information on her condition.
Bijou Phillips was married to former "That '70s Show" actor Danny Masterson, who was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in 2023 after he was convicted of raping two women.
Phillips filed for divorce from Masterson, after his conviction in 2023, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Phillips and Masterson share one daughter.
