Several media outlets from the United States have reported that the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis performed a miracle with a simple kiss to the forehead.
Pope Francis had healed the brain tumour of a child in Philadelphia, Gianna Masciantonio when he kissed the baby on the head as a sign of encouragement and blessing during his visit to Philadelphia.
The baby had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and was not expected to see the end of her first year in life. She however overcame all odds to beat the disease after Pope Francis kissed her on the head.
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Baby Gianna had also been diagnosed with histiocytosis a blood disorder which made it quite impossible to remove the tumour in her brain via surgery.
This blood disorder caused lesions on the baby’s brain and she had to be treated with chemotherapy eventually. Gianna has now completely recovered and is expected to start pre-school this year.
Her joyful and grateful parents decided to give back to the hospital in appreciation of the recovery of their child. Joey and Kristen Masciantonio, donated $50,000 to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Gianna was treated.
They also started a foundation, For the Love of Grace. The foundation is dedicated to helping children with brain tumors and histiocytosis.
Dr. Philip Storm who is the hospital’s chief of pediatric neurosurgery stated that Gianna’s recovery was nothing short of a miracle.
“From what I thought at age 4 months when I operated on her, if you would have told me she’d be running around getting ready to start preschool, I would have told you you’d be crazy. It just wouldn’t happen,” he said.
Pope Francis who didn’t know the baby was suffering from brain tumour during the time of his visit has taken a keen interest in her recovery and is keeping abreast with her present situation.