Papal Visit

Pope Benedict To Bless 50 Seriously Ill Children

Dylan Hartung & Andrea Saavedra Tell CBS 2 HD They Will Fight As Long As It Takes

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Pope Benedict XVI's visit will include special time in New York City with a group of children who are facing life-threatening medical challenges

CBS 2 HD met two of those children Monday morning. They can't wait to get up close to receive a papal blessing.

Dylan Hartung lights up when Angel, the therapy dog at the Ronald McDonald House, comes for a cuddle. The 9-year-old has neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system. He lives with his family here as he undergoes treatment. Back in Australia, he was told he only had 2 ½ months to live. That was 3 ½ years ago.

""We've been on a constant rollercoaster of emotions and challenges," Melissa Hartung said.

His parents say he's stable now. They are in awe of his spirituality and strength. Dylan told CBS 2 HD he's excited, but a little scared to actually meet the pope this Saturday.

"I'm nervous," Dylan said. "I'm still trying to believe I'm really meeting him."

Dylan and 11-year-old Andrea Saavedra are among 50 children with serious illnesses who will be in the company of Pope Benedict at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers. Andrea has been at the Ronald McDonald House for nearly two years. She walked in, but now a cancerous tumor on her spine has caused paralysis.

"I've had a surgery that helped my cancer go away for a couple months, but it came back but now I'm having a new one, that helping it shrink," Andrea said.

Her mother says no matter how bad things get, her daughter and her faith inspire her, even when it came to deciding whether to come to New York for aggressive treatment.

"I want to live mommy," Maria Saavedra said. "I want to go to New York and fight for my life. To see the pope, it's going to be a miracle you know? Miracles happen in life."

Chaplain Cherilyn Frie says both Andrea and Dylan are prayerful and you can't help but share their hope.

"All kids who have come through this long road of battling cancer are old souls who say they have gone through a lifetime of experiences in three or four years. They're our heroes," Frie said.

...see in eyes they've gone thru lifetime of experience in a few years. They're our heroes," Frie said.

For the children, the pope is their hero. When asked if he thinks the pope will make him feel better, Dylan said, "Yeah, I believe that."

Dylan received all of his childhood sacraments at the Ronald McDonald House. Andrea told CBS 2 HD she's made a lot of new friends there and she just got great news: her tumor is shrinking.

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