'Miracle' recovery

The testimony of a British surgeon about the "miraculous" recovery of a baby has helped pave the way for the canonisation of Malta's first saint, by Jonathan Petre and Simon Caldwell in The Daily Telegraph:

The testimony of a British surgeon about the "miraculous" recovery of a baby has helped pave the way for the canonisation of Malta's first saint. Anil Dhawan, a professor of paediatric hepatology at King's College Hospital, London, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday that there was no scientific explanation for the recovery of a Maltese boy with "devastating" liver failure. Dr Dhawan was speaking for the first time about his evidence to a Roman Catholic church tribunal, which investigated whether the child's improvement could be ascribed to Blessed George Preca, a 20th century Maltese priest who died in 1962.

A glove that had touched the body of the priest was placed on the boy by his parents, both devout Catholics, as he lay in a critical condition in King's College hospital nearly six years ago. The "miracle cure" has been declared genuine by the Vatican and Pope Benedict XVI will canonise Blessed George in Rome in 11 days' time.
Dr Dhawan, who is leading research into whether liver cell injections can replace transplants, said: "There was a 90 per cent plus chance that he wasn't going to survive without a liver transplant. But he survived. "Furthermore, he improved on his own. Acute liver failure in children is quite a devastating illness. The majority of them die. Scientifically I do not have an explanation for this child's recovery."

Dr Dhawan said that he felt "privileged" to be involved in the canonisation, adding that he would be flying out to Rome for it. The boy, who has not been identified, developed severe liver complications just days after his birth in July 2001. He was examined in Malta but his condition was so grave that he was transferred to King's College Hospital, the home of the world's largest and most expert paediatric liver centre..

The process of canonisation begins with an investigation into the person's character, after which they can receive the title "Venerable". One miracle is required for beatification, which brings with it the title "Blessed", and two for canonisation as a saint. Miracles are cures that cannot be explained, which are "organic, immediate and irreversible".

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