Pelé, the bulletin: cancer conditions worsening, Christmas in the hospital

Pele, who has been hospitalized for three weeks in São Paulo, is receiving treatment for “kidney and heart problems”, his doctors said today. The Brazilian champion, who is battling colon cancer, “has a progression of the oncological disease and requires further treatment related to kidney and heart dysfunction,” said the Albert Einstein Hospital, where he has been hospitalized since November 29. The bulletin specified that the 82-year-old triple world champion “continues to be hospitalized under the necessary care of the medical team”.

daughter speaks

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A few minutes earlier, the daughters reported that Pele will spend Christmas in the hospital. “Our Christmas at home has been suspended. We have decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it will be better to stay here, with all medical care,” Flavia Arantes said in a message posted on her social networks. Arantes thanked for “all the love” received from every corner of the planet and jokingly promised to transform the room where his father is hospitalized “into a sambadrome” and to “make caipirinhas” to celebrate Christmas. “The love for him, the stories and your prayers are of great comfort because we know we are not alone,” said the daughter of the former Santos and Cosmos striker, specifying that “next week” she would update the triple world champion on his health conditions. Pelé was in hospital for three weeks to reevaluate the chemotherapy treatment against colon cancer, for which he underwent surgery in September 2021, and to overcome a “respiratory infection” found days later.

It’s global

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Despite his delicate situation, Pelé, considered by many to be the best footballer in history, has maintained an intense activity on his social networks, posting various messages about the World Cup. In one of the latest, he congratulated the Argentine national team and Lionel Messi on winning his third star and acknowledged the brilliant performance of Frenchman Kylian Mbappé in last Sunday’s final. “It has been a gift to witness this spectacle for the future of our sport. And I couldn’t help but congratulate Morocco on their incredible adventure. It’s good to see Africa shining – congratulations, Argentina! I’m sure Diego (Maradona, ed ) is smiling now,” said ‘O Rei’. The family has denied reports in the media that Pelé is no longer responding to chemotherapy and is terminally ill.