Meghan McCain, Meredith Vieira to join health conference in Vatican City

— -- "The View" co-host Meghan McCain and former co-host Meredith Vieira are heading to Vatican City to honor their loved ones, and their fight against disease, at an international conference that will focus on hope for better and more effective health care around the world.

Leading scientists, patients, families, religious leaders, government representatives and more from across the globe will join The Cura Foundation's Unite to Cure event to discuss the latest innovations and research that will prevent and treat disease.

At the conference, which will be held from April 26 to 28, Pope Francis is expected to receive participants.

"I'm honored to be part of this event," McCain said on "The View" today.

Vieira attended the conference once before with her husband, Richard Cohen, saying, "It's going to be an amazing experience ... it gave Richard tremendous hope."

McCain's father, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer called glioblastoma in July 2017.

In her most recent update on her dad's condition on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," Meghan McCain said "he's doing really well."

"Right now at our ranch [he's] doing physical therapy and he has amazing doctors...."

According to the National Brain Tumor Society, glioblastomia is the most common type of malignant brain tumor.

Joseph "Beau" Biden and Ted Kennedy, both friends of the McCain family, died from the illness.

There is no cure for the disease, but there are treatments to help ease painful symptoms, and to slow and control tumor growth.

For Vieira, her fight to support her loved one's chronic illness has lasted decades. She married Cohen in 1986 and the couple have raised three children together.

At 19, Cohen learned his grandmother had multiple sclerosis. At 25, he learned he was suffering from the same disease.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information Search, the illness affects the central nervous system and disrupts communication between the brain and other parts of the body, causing weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, vision, speech and more.

Cohen is legally blind and MS has also affected his vocal chords, arms and legs.

MS is not fatal, but there is no cure for the disease.

Learn more about The Cura Foundation and how to share your story on its Facebook page.