'Jerome’s loss will never heal'

The dream of a 20-year-old afflicted by three bouts of cancer was fulfilled after his death when his family met Pope Francis in Rome this week.
Jerome Frendo had been diagnosed with a malignant and rare cancer – Ewing’s Sarcoma that targets bones and soft tissue – when he was just 16 years old.
Read: Today is another day worth living - 19-year-old diagnosed with cancer twice

Outlived by his inspiring messages, Jerome also lives in Smiling with Jerome, a foundation set up by his parents. Before he died, the young man had asked his mother to support others in their same situation.
His parents Kenneth and Josette, his brother Jethro and aunt, Sister Rachel, on Wednesday presented to Pope Francis a book written in his memory.
Mr Frendo told Times of Malta his son had always felt inspired by Pope Francis and had once written a letter to the Pontiff, who replied with a personalised letter, addressed directly to Jerome and referring to his particular circumstances.
He added that during the long nights they spent in hospital when Jerome was battling cancer, his son used to express his wish to meet the Pope. Soon after his death in October of 2017, Jerome’s family started looking into...