selena gomez fans remind us kidney transplants are no joke

a recent episode of the saved by the bell reboot raised eyebrows last week when characters made jokes about selena gomez’s kidney transplant.

at the 2017 lupus research alliance’s breaking through gala, gomez confirmed that she had been diagnosed with lupus nephritis, a common complication associated with lupus, and had received a kidney transplant. lupus nephritis occurs when the patient’s immune system attacks the kidneys, resulting in reduced functioning.

“we apologize,” the show’s executive producers, peacock and nbcuniversal wrote in a statement to us weekly . “it was never our intention to make light of selena’s health. we have been in touch with her team and will be making a donation to her charity, the selena gomez fund for lupus research at usc.”

gomez has yet to comment on the show but had previously communicated in an instagram post that “now, more than ever, i feel confident in who i am and what i went through…and i’m proud of that.”

affecting one in 1,000 people in canada, lupus is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s own immune system attacks organs and tissues. according to lupus canada , it belongs to the same category of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile diabetes.

lupus carries many similar characteristics to rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other autoimmune disorders, and as a result is difficult to diagnose. the lupus foundation of america estimates that it takes an average of six years to diagnose, with 90 per cent of patients being women of childbearing age.

in lupus nephritis , the patient’s immune system attacks the kidneys, resulting in inflammation or scarring of the kidney’s delicate filtration system. this can result in blood leaking into the urine through the kidney, or in extreme cases, an inability for the kidney to filter waste from the blood.

if caught early, lupus nephritis can be treated in a similar manner to sle or by use of “steroid-sparing” drugs that suppress the immune system. the lupus foundation of america estimates that in 15 to 20 per cent of cases a patient’s kidneys will fail despite treatment, and will need either dialysis or a kidney transplant.

if you or someone you care about is living with lupus, connecting with a support network can help to not only learn ways to better manage their health, but also share experiences with others. resources include lupus canada, lupus ontario, and the lupus foundation of america.

emjones@postmedia.com |  @jonesyjourn