- Title: Pele's family say they are tired of receiving condolences
- Date: 5th December 2022
- Summary: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (DECEMBER 5, 2022) (REUTERS) VEHICLE AND NEWS CREWS OUTSIDE HOSPITAL
- Embargoed: 19th December 2022 15:33
- Keywords: Brazil Pele cancer soccer
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: South America / Central America,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA006455705122022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS WHITE FLASH
Brazil great Pele has not been moved to palliative care, one of his daughters said on Sunday (December 4), downplaying reports that he was in end-of-life care after the 82-year-old was hospitalised last week to re-evaluate his treatment as he battles colon cancer.
One of the greatest footballers of all time, Pele had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021 and has been receiving hospital care on a regular basis.
His daughters Kely and Flavia Nascimento told Brazil's TV Globo during an interview, alongside with Flavia's son Arthur Arantes do Nascimento, they were tired of receiving condolences for Pele's death.
Newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported on Saturday (December 3) that he was under palliative care after chemotherapy stopped having the expected results.
Pele's doctors have not confirmed that information and his daughter, Flavia Nascimento, said the report was wide of the mark.
"Stop saying that he is in terminal condition, that he is under palliative care. Believe us: that's not it," she said in the interview.
Flavia said that from time to time they adjust medication as there was no complete remission of his colon cancer.
The latest report from medical staff at Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital, released Saturday afternoon, said Pele was in stable condition and had also responded well to treatment for a respiratory infection diagnosed after his hospitalisation.
Kely, added in the interview that he had COVID-19 some three weeks ago, which led to the respiratory infection.
"He is sick, he is old, but at the moment he is being treated for a respiratory infection and when he gets better he will be back home," Kely said. "He is not saying goodbye in a hospital right now."
Pele played for Brazil and club sides Santos and New York Cosmos as a striker. He won the World Cup three times - in 1958, 1962 and 1970 - a feat no other player has achieved.
His fans gathered outside the hospital to hold a vigil on Sunday.
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