It is not easy living with cancer, but there is always some kind of victory that awaits each person on the horizon, Pope Francis told young oncology patients from Poland.

"Your journey in life is a bit difficult, dear children, because you have to get treated and overcome the disease or live with the disease. This is not easy," he told the children, their parents and health care specialists Nov. 30 at the Vatican.

But with the support of family, friends and others, "there is no difficulty in life that cannot be overcome," he told his young guests who were being treated at an oncology clinic in Wroclaw, Poland.

God has given everyone a guardian angel so that "he may help us in life," Pope Francis said.

"Become accustomed to talking to your angel so that he may take care of you, give you encouragement and always lead you to victory in life," the pope told them.

"Victory is different for each person; everyone prevails in his or her way, but prevailing is always the ideal, it is the horizon for moving forward. Do not get discouraged," he told them.

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Carol Glatz

Carol Glatz writes for Catholic News Service.