The Christian nurse who blew the whistle on Texas Children’s Hospital’s alleged use of federal funding for gender-affirming care has been fired.
Vanessa Sivadge, 31, announced on social media that the hospital wrongfully dismissed her on August 16, months after she was suspended.
The hospital at the time quoted ‘things [she] “publicly shared” as justification for terminating Sivadge after journalist Christopher Rufo published her allegations that the hospital billed Medicaid to cover minors’ cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers, in violation of state law.
She now says her allegations about the hospital and a request for religious accommodations to transfer her from the endocrinology clinic — where she says she was forced to “indirectly participate in the care of children taking cross-sex hormones” — contributed to the hospital’s decision to fire her.
“This is unlawful for two reasons: It is retaliation for coming forward with information about TCH’s blatant pattern of deception and Medicaid fraud. It is also unlawfully ignoring my request for a transfer, because I believe these procedures cause irreparable harm and lifelong regret to children who are confused about their gender,” she argued.
Vanessa Sivadge, 31, announced on social media that the hospital discharged her on August 16
The nurse is now trying to challenge her dismissal in court and has setting up an online fundraiser to cover legal costs.
“The only thing I am guilty of is telling the truth, and I am more committed to this fight than ever,” Sivadge wrote on GiveSendGo, which had raised more than $50,000 as of Monday evening.
“The risks have never been greater for whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing. But when it comes to the lives and well-being of children, it’s worth it.”
Sivadge went on to say that she sees her situation as part of a religious struggle: “I believe that humans are created in the image of God, and the intrinsic biological differences between men and women should be affirmed, upheld and celebrated.”
She said it was her faith that led her to come forward with allegations that the hospital used federal funds for gender-affirming treatments.
She has alleged that Texas Children’s Hospital sued Medicaid to cover minors’ cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers, in violation of state law
Sivadge approached Rufo about the allegations after he published a story about Dr. Ethan Haim, who had leaked medical records showing that Texas Children’s Hospital was still prescribing puberty blockers and other sex reassignment treatments to children, even after the hospital said it had stopped doing so.
The hospital claimed it stopped performing such procedures a month after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ruled that gender-affirming care for children is considered a form of child abuse under state law.
But in the files Haim released, a doctor performed transgender medical procedures on minors between the ages of 12 and 17, with the “types of visits” listed as “gender dysphoria” and “gender identity.”
Another visit was planned for ‘HRT [hormone replacement therapy].
One of the procedures also cited in the documents suggests that one appointment was made with an 11-year-old “female-to-male transgender person,” three days after the hospital announced it would stop such treatments.
Texas Children’s Hospital denied the claims, saying in a statement in June that it “never condones criminal acts.” according to the Daily Signal.
“It goes without saying that if we discover illegal or unauthorized criminal activity, we will take swift action to address the problem,” a spokesperson said.
“To reiterate, our internal investigation has found no basis to date to substantiate any allegations of Medicaid fraud. All services provided by Texas Children’s were permitted under the Medicaid billing and payment policies in effect at the time the care was provided.”
She came forward with her allegations after Dr. Ethan Haim leaked medical records showing that Texas Children’s Hospital continued to prescribe puberty blockers and other sex reassignment treatments to children even after the hospital said it had stopped doing so.
But Sivadge supports Haim’s claims.
“I knew what Dr. Haim reported was true because I worked in the endocrine clinic and knew firsthand of patients being prescribed puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, despite the hospital repeatedly and publicly denying the existence of the program,” she wrote in GiveSendGo.
The nurse also claimed in an interview with the New York Post that she had seen doctors in the clinic tell parents that their children could commit suicide if they did not transition, and that many parents were afraid that the doctors would call Child Protective Services if they did not agree to gender-affirming care.
“These doctors are driven by a political agenda, an ideological agenda,” Sivadge said, “and I truly believe they think they are doing the right thing.”
She added: ‘Parents were manipulated by doctors with an ideological agenda to take this path of medical transition for their child…
“And I think doctors would use manipulative language to suggest that if they didn’t do this, their child would commit suicide or hurt themselves.”
Sivadge also believes doctors at the hospital miscategorized gender-affirming treatments in order to circumvent Texas’ ban on Medicaid reimbursement for hormone treatments.
Sivadge also claimed that doctors would tell parents that their children could commit suicide if they did not transition, and many parents feared that doctors would call child protective services if they did not agree to gender-affirming care.
The allegations prompted Texas’ Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton to launch an investigation.
But in June, Haim was indicted on four counts of violating the patient privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, but he has pleaded not guilty, citing the fact that all medical records have been blacked out.
Sivadge has not been charged by the federal government, but the FBI is said to visited her house after she came forward with her allegations.
She claims the officers told her that “they could make my life difficult and that I wasn’t safe unless I helped them.
“I felt scared, intimidated and overwhelmed,” she said in her online fundraiser.
After she went public with her claims, FBI agents reportedly visited her home
Sivadge now says she believes federal law enforcement is being politically abused.
I never thought that [my identity] would come to light, and that I would eventually be visited by the federal government, who wanted to intimidate me into silence,” she said. told the Christian Post.
“So I think that instead of investigating medical institutions and organizations — in my case, a hospital — for misconduct and illegal activity, the federal government has actually focused on going after people who expose crime and whistleblowers like me.
‘And that is outrageous, it is something I never in a million years expected would happen to me.’
She feared that the political weaponization of federal agencies would continue under Kamala Harris’s presidency.
‘I believe that the Ministry of Justice has been used as a weapon against believers and people who expose abuses and illegal activities, not only in my case, but also in that of others.
‘I am therefore very concerned that nothing will change in that regard if she is elected.’
Sivadge now claims she is the victim of political weaponry and plans to challenge her dismissal in court
Still, Sivadge says she “absolutely” feels God’s presence.
“Also, I have felt tremendous support from the people of God,” she said, adding that “people from the community reaching out to me, sending so many messages and donating to my GiveSendGo, ultimately made me feel like I am doing the right thing no matter what.”
“And that’s ultimately the biggest encouragement I get from people who have donated and prayed for me.”
DailyMail.com has contacted Texas Children’s Hospital for comment.