A Philadelphia family were amazed and thrilled with what they described as a 'miracle from the heavens' when their daughter, Gianna, recovered from a brain tumour after a kiss from Pope Francis.
The baby had been diagnosed with a tumour in the brain stem just two months after she was born and attending doctors were not optimistic about her survival.
The rare condition is called juvenile xanthogranuloma and usually manifests in the skin.
The little girl had just turned one when a family friend working for the FBI arranged for the family to meet Pope Francis during a welcome event for his state visit. The pope happened to kiss the infant on her head close the tumour, unaware that the little girl was ill. An MRI scan revealed just two months later that Gianna's tumour was reducing in size. She is now nearly fully recovered.
The family has not stated that they believe the Pope cured their daughter but have said that the gesture "gave us hope... it gave us strength."
"That kiss meant more to my family than anyone could ever imagine," they stated.
Pope Francis subsequently signed a photo of him kissing Gianna after hearing the news of her recovery.
Story via Metro
