Bijou Phillips issues heartbreaking update amid search for rare kidney donor after making public call for help

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Bijou Phillips recently shared a sad update on her difficult search for a rare kidney donor in a new interview.

After a kidney transplant in 2017 failed, 45-year-old Phillips is asking for the public’s help to find a new living donor. Currently undergoing dialysis, she recently shared with her followers that her situation is urgent.

I recently spoke with Us Weekly and wanted to be completely honest about where things stand with my health. It’s a really delicate situation, and I’m being very careful because even a simple infection could unfortunately lead to a very serious outcome. I’m just taking things day by day, knowing things could change quickly.

After being on medication that weakens her immune system for a long time, she explained she faces a difficult choice: she could potentially manage with dialysis for a couple of years, or she could quickly become seriously ill from an infection. Despite remaining hopeful, she emphasized the situation is very critical.

Phillips has begun dialysis treatment once more. Dialysis helps people with kidney failure by cleaning their blood.

I’ve been feeling much better since starting dialysis. I was hoping my brother, Aron Wilson, might be a kidney donor, but unfortunately, we weren’t a match. There’s a chance he could participate in a kidney exchange program, but it’s not certain. He was initially denied, but he’s planning to reapply.

Phillips said she is ‘sort of hanging by a thread’ as her wait for a donor continues.

I’ve been waiting for an organ transplant for about a year now, and my health is very fragile. My father received a liver transplant when I was a child, and later, when I was in my early twenties, he began receiving dialysis treatments at UCLA.

The drugs used after an organ transplant – whether it’s a heart, liver, or kidney – are really hard on the kidneys. Because of this, many transplant recipients need another kidney transplant within ten years. My father had a liver transplant and then needed dialysis. He quickly developed an infection from his dialysis line and sadly passed away within three days because his immune system was compromised. That’s why starting dialysis at UCLA was so frightening for me.

In the wake of the ordeal, Phillips has found solace in religion.

Honestly, I’ve noticed a real shift in Kate lately, and it’s been inspiring. She’s been really devoted to her faith – she’s part of a small group that prays the rosary every morning after taking the kids to school. She’s also planning a more traditional Lent this year, with fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays. There’s been some chatter online about her and Scientology, but a representative has made it very clear that’s just not true. Her only connection was through her ex-husband, Danny Masterson, who’s been involved for years, but she herself has never been a member.

On a typical day, Phillips is able to retain a semblance of normalcy.

This morning, I dropped my daughter off at school and then came home for a quick snack. After that, I went to my dialysis appointment. When I got back home, I usually run some errands, pick my daughter up from school, take her to any after-school activities she has, or either get dinner out or make it at home.

‘That’s my day. If I don’t have dialysis, I’m running errands and going to the grocery store.’

She’s dealt with a kidney problem since infancy. Born with underdeveloped kidneys, she required dialysis for the first three months of her life due to limited kidney function, as reported by Us Magazine.

She had her first kidney transplant at 36 and was doing well until her health unexpectedly declined.

I was really busy with my music and had a lot of exciting projects lined up before I found out my kidneys were failing again. I was working on a new album and about to start filming a movie in Bulgaria – I was thrilled about the role, but unfortunately, I had to cancel everything when I got sick.

In 2017, Danny Masterson, who was married to Bijou Phillips at the time, announced that she had received a kidney transplant. He shared the news online, explaining that a donor had given her a life-saving gift and she was starting to recover.

Earlier this month, Phillips shared a heartfelt message on Instagram asking for help. She asked her followers to spread the word and think about donating an organ to someone in need.

She revealed she was under the care of a doctor at UCLA and on dialysis again. 

According to a representative, the actress was hospitalized and needed a kidney transplant, so she was searching for a donor.

Phillips shared photos of her daughter, Fianna Francis Masterson, 12, on Instagram and asked for support. She encouraged anyone interested in becoming a living donor to complete a short form linked in her bio. Phillips expressed her gratitude for everyone’s help.

In a recent post, Phillips shared her long struggle with kidney disease, explaining that she was born with kidneys that didn’t fully develop. She spent the first three months of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) receiving dialysis.

‘In 2017, I received the incredible gift of a kidney from a dear friend.

The transplant allowed me to enjoy five wonderful years as a mother to my daughter, but I’ve faced numerous health issues afterward. I contracted the BK virus, which caused my body to reject the transplant in two ways – both at the cellular level and through antibodies.

‘I am currently under care of Dr Anjay Rastogi at UCLA and back on dialysis

I urgently need a living donor to give me a chance at a longer life, so I can spend more time with my daughter, family, and friends. Every moment counts.

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2026-02-28 03:21