--- title: Pope Francis Makes Child Cancer Survivor's Dream Come True description: After a young leukemia patient missed his chance to see the Pope because he was in treatment, His Holiness made the boy's dreams come true. canonical: https://time.com/5218554/pope-francis-child-cancer-survivor-dream/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-28T15:17:10.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T20:55:58.000Z og:title: Pope Francis Makes Child Cancer Survivor's Dream Come True og:description: And also let him ride on the Popemobile og:url: https://time.com/5218554/pope-francis-child-cancer-survivor-dream/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0a6f82aa4dc0c0ae/69892c2a86f68e69ed6e8b83/pope-francis.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Pope Francis Attends His Weekly Audience og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Pope Francis Makes Child Cancer Survivor's Dream Come True twitter:description: And also let him ride on the Popemobile twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0a6f82aa4dc0c0ae/69892c2a86f68e69ed6e8b83/pope-francis.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Pope Francis Just Made a Child Cancer Survivor's Dream Come True > Sponsored content. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=70535ecf-fd07-43d0-968b-06c9c35a7860&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1)  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Updated: Dec 12, 2023 8:55 PM UTCPublished: Mar 28, 2018 3:17 PM UTC  Pope Francis waves as he arrives in St. Peter's square for his weekly audience on March 28, 2018 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis waves as he arrives in St. Peter's square for his weekly audience on March 28, 2018 in Vatican City, Vatican. Franco Origlia/Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Updated: Dec 12, 2023 8:55 PM UTCPublished: Mar 28, 2018 3:17 PM UTC After a young [leukemia](http://time.com/4098516/wedding-photos-leukemia-son/) patient missed his chance to meet [Pope Francis](http://time.com/5214711/palm-sunday-pope-francis-youth/) because he was undergoing [chemotherapy](http://time.com/4907415/john-mccain-cancer-chemotherapy/), His Holiness made the boy’s dreams come true by giving him a kiss from the Popemobile. In a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfk8JgRieLw) shared by the _Arlington Catholic Herald_ on Wednesday, Peter Lombardi’s mother, Brenda Lombardi, explains that she and her son had tickets to see the Pope at the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, but ended up missing the event due to Peter’s treatment. “We were watching Pope Francis the whole time and the Make-A-Wish representative came into our room, Peter’s hospital room, and asked, ‘So Peter, what is your make-a-wish?’” Brenda said. “And Peter said, “I want to be kissed by that man who is kissing all those children on TV.'” Peter was able to fulfill his hopes of being kissed by the Supreme Pontiff less than three years later—and this time, as a cancer survivor. While visiting Vatican City on Wednesday, Peter not only received a blessing from Pope Francis, but was invited to ride on the Popemobile with him during his weekly audience. 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