The mother of the boy Kauan, Laise Sousa, expressed her distress on social media after receiving the news that her son would not undergo heart surgery in São Paulo. She felt her fight was in vain, comparing the situation to 'dying at the beach.'
In a video released this Friday (2), Laise lamented the decision, stating that although she tried her best, the boy's risk to life was too high, making the procedure unfeasible.
This episode is part of a long battle by the mother, who even chained herself at the door of the General Hospital of Palmas (HGP) and subsequently in front of the Public Prosecutor's Office, demanding her son's transfer.
The family, from Paraíso do Tocantins, has had the case ongoing since 2024, when Laise requested treatment outside her city. After successfully securing the transfer last week, the boy underwent several exams in the São Paulo capital.
However, in a meeting held by the doctors, the mother was informed that there was no indication for the surgery. The child needed the Fontan procedure, indicated for patients born with only one functional ventricle in the heart. According to the mother, the medical team indicated that there was nothing more to be done, advising that the mother and son return to Tocantins, prioritizing the child's comfort now.
In an official note, the Children and Maternity Hospital of São José do Rio Preto clarified that the medical team provided all details to the family after evaluating the patient. The institution also emphasized that, due to legal reasons, it cannot disclose information or circumstances that might expose patient data.
Recalling the case
The family resides in Paraíso do Tocantins, located approximately 60 km from Palmas. The legal process began in 2024, when Laise requested treatment outside her home. In July 2025, the Judiciary ordered the State to arrange the child's transfer to the Children and Maternity Hospital of São José do Rio Preto, using an air ICU, and guaranteeing accompaniment and lodging costs.
A year later, the Judiciary issued a new determination, ensuring the necessary funds for the surgery. Laise protested by chaining herself to the gate of HGP on the morning of September 9, and on the same day, went to the Public Prosecutor's Office to request her son's transfer.
On that occasion, the State Health Secretariat informed that the patient had been treated at the Municipal Hospital of Araguaína and that, after medical evaluations, the Fontan surgery would be contraindicated due to the child's clinical conditions, which presented clinical fragility and compromised vascular access.
On September 12, 2026, the State communicated that the patient's transfer was authorized and awaited acceptance by the destination unit in São Paulo. Kauan was transferred to São Paulo fourteen days after this release.
