When Mary* took her twin boys on a pilgrimage to Lourdes two years ago, she did not expect their rare medical condition to be miraculously cured. And they were not. But she was filled with a dose of renewed courage to continue taking care of her sons.

"My expectations about going to Lourdes were realistic. I didn't expect a miracle... It's already a miracle that they walk and talk and wake up every morning," said Mary, who preferred to remain unnamed to protect the identity of her boys who suffer from Leukodystrophy characterised by the progressive degeneration of the white matter of the brain. Two years ago Mary, her husband and the twins - who were then three years old - joined a pilgrimage to Lourdes organised annually by Assoċjazzjoni Voluntarji Lourdes (AVL). Apart from allowing her to get away from the daily routine of therapies and medical appointments, the experience helped Mary realise that she was not alone as she met other parents who stood by their children during battles against all sorts of medical conditions. She left Lourdes with a determination to do everything she could to help her boys live the best possible life.

"I remember how they were amazed during the flambeau (candle-lit procession). They would open their eyes really wide when they saw all those little lights."

Sefora Falzon, 14, was also fascinated when she saw the flambeau on joining the same pilgrimage with her parents. At the time Sefora, who suffers from a kidney condition, was 12. She recalled the fun she had in Lourdes especially because she made a new friend - her volunteer helper Lucy - with whom she is still in regular contact.

The teenager giggles as she remembers how cold she felt when she was immersed in the bath of Holy Water. "It was freezing," she said as she mimicked a shiver.

Her parents Paul and Liliana also enjoyed the break as they could relax for a week. They could put their mind at rest that Sefora was in good hands with AVL's volunteer who was assigned to look after their daughter.

Sefora and her parents would return to Lourdes any time to relive days of peace again.

Mary would love to take her sons, now five years old, back to Lourdes next month on the pilgrimage specifically organised for children to mark the 150th anniversary since the apparitions of Our Lady to Saint Bernadette.

During this pilgrimage, taking place between June 22 and 28, children from different countries will be assigned a colour as well as a symbol of St Bernadette. Malta's will be yellow and children will go bearing the symbolic sculpture of a sheep which they will place at the foot of the statue of the St Bernadette.

AVL is hoping to take a group of Maltese children to the event (being organised apart from the AVL annual September pilgrimage). It costs €600 (Lm258) to sponsor each child and offer them a much deserved distraction from their daily ailments.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to sponsor a child's trip to Lourdes may make a deposit in HSBC bank account 0332 0313 4050.

For more information on funding the pilgrimage or about joining the trip phone 2134 5523 or 9947 7537 or e-mail avl@waldonet.net.mt.

*Name has been changed

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.