The latest on Pele's health 1:11
(CNN Spanish) --
Pelé was hospitalized last week for a lung infection that he developed after a diagnosis of covid-19 and in the midst of treatment for his colon cancer.
"He's sick, he's old, but right now he's there with a lung infection, and when he gets better he'll come home. He's not saying goodbye," Kely Nascimento, daughter of the Brazilian soccer star, said in an interview with Globo TV.
The daughter explained that the former star of the Brazilian team and Santos had had a coronavirus and that he is vaccinated with all doses, but the medication he receives against cancer makes him weaker and in this context he developed a lung infection.
Colon cancer treatments
On September 6, 2021, Pelé announced on his social media that he had undergone surgery to remove a tumor from his colon two days earlier.
At the end of that month, on September 30, he was discharged from the Sao Paulo hospital where he had been operated on.
Doctors identified the cancer after discovering abnormalities in her colon during a routine exam, according to a Reuters report at the time.
At that time it was already announced that the former player would have to receive chemotherapy treatment.
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Pelé's multiple operations throughout his life
From 2012 onwards, O Rei underwent multiple interventions.
The first of which CNN is aware was in November of that year, when he underwent hip surgery in a hospital in Sao Paulo.
The objective of this surgery was the placement of a prosthesis at the junction of the femur with the pelvis, according to Conmebol, which reported years later a second operation that was done in New York to correct a displacement of the piece.
Two years later, in November 2014, he underwent an operation to remove kidney stones.
That same month, after the operation, he was again admitted to the hospital with a urinary tract infection.
In 2015 he had to undergo prostate surgery.
The doctors said at that time that Pelé suffered from benign hyperplasia, that is, an enlarged prostate, and that she did not have tumors or cancer.
What they did was perform a transurethral resection to alleviate the urinary symptoms caused by the enlarged prostate.
A year later, prior to the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games, a piece of news announced by Pelé himself reported the changes in his health in previous years.
The "national treasure" of Brazil was supposed to light the Olympic cauldron, but he finally announced that he would not do so for health reasons.
"In my life I have had fractures, surgeries, pain, hospital stays, victories and defeats, and respect for those who admire me. I have always tried not to disappoint my family and the Brazilian people. At this moment, I am not in physical condition to attend the opening of the Olympic Games," he said.
Three years ago, in 2019, the kidney stone problem returned.
In April, he was transferred to a hospital in Paris for a urinary infection and days later, back in Brazil, he was operated on for the kidney stones that were causing the infection.
Qatar lights up in honor of soccer star Pele 0:40
"Calm and optimistic" message
This weekend a message was published on the Brazilian star's Instagram account, with which Pelé wanted to bring "calm and optimism" to his followers.
"I am strong, with a lot of hope and I continue my treatment as always. I want to thank the entire medical and nursing team for all the care I have received," he said.
And he concluded: "I have a lot of faith in God and every message of love I receive from you around the world keeps me full of energy. And I see Brazil in the World Cup too! Thank you very much for everything."
With reporting from CNN's Steffano Pozzebon, Duarte Mendonca, Marilia Brocchetto, Tom McGowan, Barbara Arvanitidis, Shasta Darlington, Steve Almasy, Mitchell McCluskey and Marcia Reverdosa.
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