Pope Francis visits Vatican Children’s Hospital
C. Rubini CTC, Vatican News
As the Russian occupation of Ukraine disrupted regular medical care in most parts of the country, Bambino Jesus Hospital stepped in to help children in need of treatment.
About 50 children have been flown from Ukraine to Bambino Jesus Hospital, also known as Pope’s Hospital, for quality care. 19 of them are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Pope Francis, along with all other patients at the Vatican’s Children’s Hospital, visited a group of Ukrainian children on Saturday afternoon, the Holy See’s Communications Office said.
Children are being treated for a variety of ailments, including cancer and neurology.
The statement said that before returning to the Vatican, the pope visited each room and visited all the children present.
On Friday, the pope thanked the hospital’s president, Mariella Enoch, for the service in a short message in her own handwriting. “Thank you for your service, charitable work and love for the wounded Ukrainian children. I am close to you.” Papa recorded.
Head of the Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery at Bambino Jesu Hospital, Drs. Mario Sama spoke to Vatican News about his team’s work to help treat children and heal the body and heart.
Dr. Sama said that the war in Ukraine has changed the lives of four girls forever. Two had to have their limbs amputated, and the other two had severe craniofacial trauma. (Injury to the face or skull) We all hope that the words of the Holy Father who called for an end to this massacre will actually be heard. Dr. Sama said he feared more children would come and more would die.
Pictures drawn by pediatric patients
Despite their own difficult circumstances, the other sick children at Bambino Jesu Hospital showed solidarity with their Ukrainian siblings in their own way. Many have painted the colors of the Ukrainian flag, a symbol of peace, and even paintings depicting the blood and tears of young victims of war, reminiscent of Pope Francis’ statement that “our conscience must be shaken.”