Second 'Whistleblower' alleges Texas Children's Hospital delivered illegal trans-care to kids

HOUSTON - A second "whistleblower" has emerged with damaging allegations against Texas Children's Hospital and its controversial clinic delivering gender-affirming care.

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That former nurse, Vanessa Sivadge, spoke with FOX 26 Reporter Greg Groogan about her decision to corroborate the revelations of Dr. Ethan Heim, who is facing federal charges.  

Groogan:

What was your reaction when Dr. Heim provided evidence that TCH was illegally continuing transgender healthcare on minors in violation of Texas law?

Sivadge:

So, Texas Childrens, to shield themselves from liability, made multiple statements stating that this program was not happening, that they were not providing hormones to minors, unequivocally condemning the existence of this program, but it was all a lie. So, an anonymous whistleblower, who we all know was Dr. Heim, came forward, exposed that, and I read that report at work one day, and I said this is true and this is absolutely happening.

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Groogan:

Once Dr. Heim had come out - you were at something of a crossroads. You could stand back and say, hey the word is out, or you could become involved in the whistleblowing process. Why did you decide to take what many people see as a very principled stand with consequences?

Sivadge:

I knew I had to come forward to affirm that, so that's exactly what I did. I anonymously provided testimony affirming what had already been reported as true.

This provider would prescribe cross-sex hormones at regular visits to healthy minors, to healthy children who were very confused about their sex. And he would affirm the false identities they had adopted and, in my view, he would convince parents that this was the absolute best course of treatment for their confused child. And it's a very interesting thing when a parent is in a clinic room and hears from a doctor in a white lab coat with many, many degrees on the wall, that initiating their child down a path of medical transition into the opposite sex is going to save their life. For many parents who are well-intentioned and well-meaning, they buy into this. They truly believe this is going to help their child. It's my belief that many doctors in transgender medicine only see the dollar sign. For a doctor to advise parent and child alike, that a hormone will solve their inner turmoil or their issue whatever it may be, is egregious and it's child abuse, and so I knew I had to come forward to expose that. Ultimately, this is so much bigger than me getting fired from the largest children's hospital in the nation. This is about coming forward in an attempt to save children's lives.

Sivadge believes TCH illegally billed Medicaid for gender-affirming care - an allegation the medical system says it is investigating, but has found no evidence it occurred.