Football icon Pele has been reportedly moved to a palliative care unit after he stopped responding to treatment.
This follows after a long battle with cancer, which has seen him struggle with his physical fitness.
Futballnews had earlier reported that Pele was hospitalized after his condition worsened.
Now, reports reaching us from Brazil media confirmed that Pele ‘has been moved to palliative care’ in the hospital and is ‘no longer responding to chemotherapy.’
As things stand, the legendary Brazil international is losing his long battle against bowel cancer.
The ‘palliative care’ implies a cushioning medical therapy to cushion the effects of cancer which has defied all medical interventions.
Tributes have begun to pour in from top footballers across the globe as the news of his worsening condition emerges.
Dos Santos, his former club, took their social media handle to wish the football icon a speedy recovery.
Dos Santos wrote, “It is the whole world wishing you well, King.”
Champions League and Serie A winners Real Madrid are among the clubs that have prayed for Pele. The Los Blancos wrote, “According to @Folha, football legend Pele is not responding to chemotherapy and is in palliative care, prayers up.”
Paris Saint Germain and France international Kylian Mbappe wrote, “Prayer for the king.”
Torrents of well-wishes have flooded from other clubs, and individuals have flooded social media as the world prays for Pele.
On Tuesday, 27th November, Pele was taken to the Albeit Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo after he reportedly had ‘general swelling’ and ‘heart failure.’
It was earlier reported that he was in stable condition after being admitted to the hospital, and his daughter Kelly had debunked rumors of his father’s ill-health.
This new sad development of his inability to respond to treatment has been confirmed by Folha de Sao Paulo – a trusted Sao Paulo-based media outlet.
Meanwhile, while he is on palliative care, it has been confirmed that he won’t be subjected to any invasive treatment as the medical staff intends to manage the condition with the utmost delicacy that it requires.
Pele’s long battle with cancer
On Friday, 2nd December, the Albert Einstein Hospital released a statement to clarify the condition of the Brazil legend.
They confirmed that Pele had been diagnosed with a ‘respiratory infection’ that was being treated with antibiotics.
They also maintained that Pele will remain in the hospital, but he was in a ‘stable condition’.
Pele also confirmed his health condition on his Instagram page on Friday, 2 December, as he wrote, “Friends, I am at the hospital making my monthly visit. It’s always nice to receive positive messages like this. Thanks to Qatar for this tribute and to everyone who sends me good vibes.”
In 2021, Pele was admitted into the hospital for six days last year. He had been diagnosed with a tumor in the colon and had to undergo a surgical operation to remove the tumor.
Following the diagnoses of the tumor, Pele then had to battle bowel cancer since the end of August 2021.
He regularly underwent medical examinations and tests at the Albeit Einstein hospital, but the checkups was affected following the outbreak of Covid 19.
After the Covid period, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor and was taken to the intensive care unit following the surgical operations for respiratory problems.
He was also made to start a course of chemotherapy shortly afterward and, in December 2021, was returned to the hospital for more cancer-beating treatment. During Christmas, he was discharged.
In February, Pele returned to the hospital for another course of chemotherapy and joked on social media, saying ‘hopefully, there’s popcorn to watch the Super Bowl soon.’
The medical staff at the Albeit Einstein hospital is said to have also discovered a urinary tract infection, making his stay in the hospital to be extended to February 28.
Due to the impact of his health condition, he has struggled with mobility and has often needed assistance to carry out daily routines.
Pele is one of the greatest footballer of all time. He won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and scored 643 goals in 659 official matches for the Brazilian club Santos. He scored 77 times in 92 games for his country’s national team.
