Francia Raisa Admits Giving Her Kidney to Selena Gomez Was 'Scary as H---' But Worth It: 'It's Not That Crazy of a Thing to Do'

Francia Raisa still has no qualms about giving her kidney to Selena Gomez in 2017, and now, she hopes to be vocal about organ donation going forward.

"Was I hesitant? Was I scared? Absolutely. It's a major organ, but I've said this so many times that the minute I learned of the situation and knew I was a match, it was this divine sign and feeling I got. It was scary as h---, and it's a mental thing, but I was always confident about it. The day of the surgery I was probably the calmest I'd ever been the entire time. I was like, 'Let's go!'" the 35-year-old told OK! before the Wednesday, January 31, American Heart Association Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection Concert event in New York City.

Nearly seven years later, the actress hopes to educate others about kidney donation. "I wanted to take my personal time and deal with my own decision; the first two years were pretty hard for me," she admitted. "I live a normal life, but it was hard to have my name out there at first. Now that [Selena] and I are all good and dandy — because there's no beef — I am looking more into how I can speak out about these issues. People also think I got paid for it, so I want to talk about that. It was bothersome, especially something I did it out of the kindness of my heart. I don't regret what I did. I want to talk about how easy it is to live with one organ as long as you stay healthy."

"I want to educate people, and as someone who is a living donor, I can say, 'Hey, it's not that crazy of a thing to do!' As long as you exercise, eat healthy, drink water — that's all I have to do, and I am fine," she continued. "It's cool to hear people say I have a platform because I've had the worst imposter syndrome known to man. I mean, we all do, let's be honest, but I am at the place where I can hear stuff like this and be like, 'You're right.' I haven't done a number one movie yet or achieved some of my acting dreams, but my fans hear me and they see me as more than just an actress. I'm a role model to a lot, and I didn't see that or understand that for a while. Now I'm like, 'Alright, I'm in.' It's super important and cool. I'm ready for the job."

Since the How I Met Your Father alum is so vocal about health, it made sense for her to want to be part of the Red Dress Collection Concert, an iconic event where fashion, entertainment and philanthropy collide to shine a light on women’s heart health.

"I'm always looking for an excuse to go to New York, but I'm a woman and the older I get, the more I am witnessing my friends getting sick. Currently one of my best friends is in a nursing facility, as she's been fighting cancer for six years. It's been insane how much I've been witnessing and experiencing. I was personally honored to be a part of this event because anything that is for women by women, I want to be involved in and raise more awareness," she noted.

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Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in women and nearly 45 percent of women over age 20 are living with some form of cardiovascular disease, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined.

"The statistics are crazy and higher than anyone would like," she shared. "It's insane. I personally have a heart murmur myself, which I wasn't worried about at first when I was first told about it while working on The Secret Life of the American Teenager. But now I am like, 'These are things we can't take lightly because it's getting harder.'"

In order to keep things under control, Raisa exercises and does cardio — even though she hates it. "Since I donated a major organ, I watch out for my health, and I am on top of it," she said. "I try to be more health conscious about what I'm putting into my body. I make sure I stretch. I'm a huge yogi. I love hot yoga. It's really important to move your body."