Her family ran a fundraising campaign to ensure that she would be able to make the visit before she passes away.
Corinne Barber, 42, from Edinburgh has a complex congenital heart disorder with a life expectancy of five to 12 months.
Her brother, Darren Barber, 43, set up an online page, Help With Corinne's Final Wish, and raised around £8,500 in three months.
The fundraising effort means that Corinne will be able to travel to the Vatican this weekend.
She has been granted an audience with Pope Francis after the campaign attracted the support of Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh Leo Cushley, who also made sure the insurance fees of the trip are covered.
At first it was thought that this dream could never come true as her heart condition left her too sick to fly and costs increased - but donations from well-wishers across the world made turned it around.
Mr Barber, from East Lothian, said he was "absolutely ecstatic" the journey would go ahead: "We have been overwhelmed by the generosity shown by people who have supported our GoFundMe campaign and Corinne has been elated by the way people have connected with her."
Darren Barber, Corinne's brother
Corinne said: "I can't believe that this is really happening. I'm both incredibly excited and quite nervous.
"The effort involved in getting there is significant but I am looking forward to the experience once we're there.
"Visiting the many historical sites, tying it all into both my academic work and my faith, to see it all in the flesh, so to speak.
"With the opportunity of being able to meet the Pope it promises to truly be a spiritual journey of a lifetime.
"I am truly humbled by this whole experience and very, very grateful to everyone who helped to make this a reality."
She will make the pilgrimage with her mother, travelling by train to Rome and her husband and her twin sister will fly out to join her.
Archbishop Cushley said: "We are thrilled that Corinne is finally able to make her pilgrimage to Rome and we will now make sure that she is at next week's audience with Pope Francis.
"We also hope to arrange a private tour of the Vatican for Corinne including the Sistine Chapel. It's the very least we can do to help."
