A Texas family is relocating to New Mexico after their seven-year-old daughter’s endocrinologist stopped providing puberty blockers due to legal pressure. Gabrielle Jones-Radtke, who has lived in El Paso nearly her entire life, says the family is moving about 25 miles away primarily to access medical care for her daughter, Freyja, who has Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) and requires puberty blockers to treat complications.
The Medical Crisis
Freyja was born with BBS, a rare genetic disorder affecting about one in 140,000 to 160,000 newborns across North America and Europe. BBS can cause autism spectrum disorder, weight gain, hormone imbalances, and vision loss. When Freyja was around one year old, her mother noticed severe weight gain and constant hunger. At around age six, Freyja began showing symptoms of premature puberty, including developing breast tissue, leg hair, and body odor. Her endocrinologist, Dr. Hector Granados, was the only pediatric endocrinologist within a reasonable distance—described as “basically the only endocrinologist from here to Dallas.”
Legal Complications
In October 2024, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Granados, accusing him of providing gender-affirming care to children. In February 2025, Paxton placed Granados under an injunction preventing him from prescribing “puberty blockers and testosterone or estrogen” for gender transition purposes, effectively cutting off access to puberty blockers even for patients with medical diagnoses like premature puberty. This chilling effect has made doctors fear providing necessary care. The Jones-Radtke family was not informed until another parent from Granados’ office mentioned she was moving to New Mexico for the same reason.
Impact and Broader Context
Without puberty blockers, Jones-Radtke fears Freyja will menstruate too early and face psychological challenges of appearing more mature than peers. The family is also struggling to obtain Imicivree, daily injections controlling Freyja’s appetite—a medication now requiring endocrinologist signatures. BBS can cause kidney issues that control ammonia buildup, and without Imicivree, overeating can cause ammonia spikes that are “incredibly deadly,” according to Jones-Radtke. This has happened to Freyja four times. The move will cost the family at least $5,000, but Jones-Radtke says, “I love Texas but right now, it doesn’t feel like they love us back.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/texasregion/2026/03/10/el-paso-texas-family-moves-for-daughters-medical-care/89080309007/