The updates on the status of Pele's health came from his family and the hospital this week as fans in Brazil and the world continue to be concerned about his prognosis.
According to a Tuesday medical bulletin by the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, Pele is showing progressive improvement in his general health as well as the respiratory infection that put him there.
In an interview broadcast by TV Globo, his daughter Flavia Nascimento said the 82-year legend is not in the intensive care unit, not in palliative care and that he is not at risk since he is in treatment and stressed that Pele is not terminal.
"He is not saying goodbye in the hospital," stressed daughter Kelly, speaking from her home in the United States. "At the moment, he is [hospitalized] to treat an infection and when he gets better, he will go home again."
"Three weeks ago, he had Covid. He is vaccinated with all the doses, but because of the cancer medications, and the chemo, that makes him more fragile. He has a pulmonary infection, and that is why he went to the hospital," said Kelly.
"Edson Arantes do Nascimento was admitted to Israelite Hospital Albert Einstein last Tuesday for a reassessment of chemotherapy therapy for the colon tumour, identified in September 2021," said the first statement from the hospital.
On Tuesday, the hospital updated his condition in a medical bulletin: "The patient continues to evolve with progressive improvement in his general condition, especially the respiratory infection. He remains in a common room, with stable vital signs, conscious and without further complications."
"I don't like to say that cancer treatment didn't work. Of course, it did, it is working," said Flavia emphasizing her words with her gestures. "While he is here, breathing, it is working really well. From time to time they adjust the medication to see what is best."
Since the discovery of the colon tumour in September 2021, Pele’s doctors have also been periodically reevaluating and adjusting the chemo treatments causing hospitalizations in August and December last year and in February this year, prior to the hospitalization that triggered reports that he had been moved to palliative care.
"It is very unfair to say that he is in a terminal state, palliative treatment. It is not that. Believe us."
“Many people say Rest in Peace,” sighed Pele’s grandson Arthur Arantes do Nascimento sitting next to his mother Flavis. He said of the premature comments, "it’s logical that that will happen, but it is not today."
For his part, Pele tweeted, "I will watch the game from the hospital, and I will be rooting for each one of you. Good luck," before Brazil’s game with South Korea.
The tweet included a picture of himself and teammate Zito walking the streets of Stockholm during the World Cup there. Along with it, a note of looking back and looking forward:
"In 1958 I walked the streets thinking of fulfilling the promise I made to my dad. I know that today many made similar promises and they are in search of their first World Cup."
