BBC News - Cancer fight boy from East Kilbride to get Pope blessing.

After writing to the Pope to ask him to "help keep his cancer away", nine-year-old Anthon McManus will be blessed by the Pontiff on Thursday. Pope Benedict XVI will stop and bless Anthon, from East Kilbride, as he enters Bellahouston Park before taking Mass with an estimated 65,000 pilgrims. The Primary 4 pupil was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on his spine aged just four and has since undergone chemotherapy, radiotherapy and two operations on his neck. Anthon wrote to the Pontiff: "I was really ill and now I am feeling better, even though I can't do a lot of things my friends can do. "I am writing this letter to ask if you could bless me when you come to Glasgow to help keep my cancer away as I think if anyone could help, God can. "I really hope I will be lucky enough to meet you as it would mean the world to me. I will keep praying to see if they get answered." Anthon's mother said: "It's just fantastic, a chance in a million. "The cancer has been in remission for four years and he can't afford for it to come back. He was lucky to make it through the first time. "We just hope that maybe the blessing will keep it at bay."

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