Bijou Phillips and her family are remaining hopeful as she battles kidney disease and is in need of a second kidney transplant. The 45-year-old actress is currently awake and aware of her condition, which remains dire. Phillips began dialysis on February 10 due to natural wear on her other kidney and ongoing health issues that she has been dealing with for years. Despite her struggles, Phillips and her loved ones are optimistic about finding a suitable donor in the near future.
Support has poured in for Bijou from her sisters Chyna and Mackenzie Phillips, as well as friends Nikki and Paris Hilton. In a heartfelt Instagram post on February 11, Bijou shared her journey with kidney disease, revealing that she was born with underdeveloped kidneys and spent the first three months of her life in the NICU on dialysis. She received a kidney transplant from a friend in 2017, but complications have arisen since then, including the BK virus.
The BK virus, as explained by the National Kidney Foundation, can reactivate in transplant patients due to anti-rejection medications, leading to kidney damage and rejection. Bijou is currently under the care of Dr. Anjay Rastogi at UCLA and back on dialysis while seeking a living donor for a second transplant.
With her 12-year-old daughter Fianna by her side, Bijou is urging supporters to help her find a donor so she can continue to spend time with her loved ones. Despite her health struggles, Bijou has found love with boyfriend Jamie Mazur, with whom she shares a laid-back and pressure-free relationship. Living on a farm in Santa Ynez, California, the couple prioritizes their children – with Mazur being a father to daughter Anja and son Noah from a previous relationship with Alessandra Ambrosio.
As Bijou continues her fight against kidney disease, she remains grateful for the support of her family, friends, and fans. Time is of the essence, and she is hopeful that a matching donor will come forward to give her more precious moments with her loved ones.
