REPORT: Baby with a brain tumor has miraculous recovery after a kiss from Pope Francis
YAHOO NEWS
When Pope Francis kissed baby Gianna Masciantonio in 2015, some saw it as an encouraging sign. The 1-year-old had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, Philadelphia’s Fox 29 News reported at the time. Doctors had not expected that she would make it to her first birthday, but she overcame the odds — and days after her birthday, Pope Francis kissed her head.
CBS Philadelphia reported that Gianna has histiocytosis, a rare condition that made it impossible for her to have surgery to remove the tumor. The blood disorder caused lesions on her brain stem, the outlet explained. Gianna was treated with chemotherapy, and CBS Philadelphia reports that now, Gianna is in good health and will begin preschool this year.
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Pope Francis kisses a child during his visit to Philadelphia in 2015. (Photo: AP)
To commemorate Gianna’s recovery, her parents, Joey and Kristen Masciantonio, donated $50,000 to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Gianna was treated. They made the donation in the name of the foundation they started, For the Love of Grace. Grace is Gianna’s middle name, and the foundation is dedicated to helping children with brain tumors and histiocytosis.
