At a Glance
- 19-year-old Isabel Veluso died Jan. 10 at Hospital Erasto Gaertner in Curitiba, Brazil
- Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2021; cancer returned with 6.6-inch lung tumor
- October 2025 open letter to 1-year-old son Arthur promised “I will be back”
- Instagram following reached 4 million during her candid cancer journey
Brazilian influencer Isabel Veluso, 19, has died after a three-year battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leaving behind her husband Lucas Borbas and their infant son Arthur.
Diagnosis, Remission, Relapse
Veluso was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2021. After undergoing chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant in 2023, she received the all-clear. Three months later doctors found a 6.6-inch tumor in her lungs and the disease was deemed terminal.
She had been hospitalized since November 2025 and died at Hospital Erasto Gaertner in Curitiba, Brazil, on Saturday, Jan. 10, Brazilian outlet Mix Vale reported.
Viral Letter to Baby Arthur
While separated from her son during a second bone marrow transplant, Veluso posted an open letter on social media in October 2025 that quickly went viral.
“Hey there, my love,” she began. “Mom is not with you right now, and I know you feel it … And that smell you are looking for in the air is not yet there … but I want to tell you something: I didn’t walk away. I am here through it all.”
She continued:
- “In your pillow, in your favorite toy, in the sounds the house makes when you wake up”
- “I will be strong again. To carry you over. To run with you in the park. To see you growing, smiling, sleeping peacefully”
- “I will be back. It will take a little while, but I’ll be back … I promise I’ll be back soon”
Arthur was born in December 2024. Veluso and Borbas announced the pregnancy in August 2024, eight months after learning the cancer had returned as terminal.
Documenting Life and Illness
Throughout treatment Veluso shared candid videos and photos with her 4 million Instagram followers, chronicling hospital stays, chemotherapy sessions and moments with her newborn. Her posts ranged from shaving her head to celebrating Arthur’s first smile.
Friends and fans flooded her final posts with heart emojis and messages of support, turning her comment sections into digital memorials within hours of her death announcement.
Family Requests Privacy
Borbas has not yet released a public statement. Family members asked media to respect their privacy as they arrange funeral services in Curitiba. Memorial details are expected to be shared on Veluso’s Instagram account, which her management team says will remain active “as a place for her community to remember her light.”
Key Takeaways
- Teen influencer built massive following by sharing raw cancer journey
- Promised toddler son she would “be back” in viral letter
- Documented treatments, pregnancy and motherhood amid terminal diagnosis
- Died at 19 after Hodgkin’s lymphoma returned following brief remission
