Meet Champion, Nano

Born with Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic condition that affects the bone marrow’s ability to make healthy blood cells, Nano spent more than a year at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) before receiving a life-saving umbilical cord blood transplant. Though the transplant was successful, Nano faced complications including graft-versus-host disease that kept him hospitalized. Through it all, Nano was known for his positivity and love of performing. Dressed in a tiny mariachi suit, he brought joy to patients and caregivers alike with passionate songs from Coco and Mexican folk music. At the age of six, Nano and his mom rang the bell at CHLA, joined by his care team and even a full mariachi band. Today, 11-year-old Nano continues to receive multidisciplinary follow-up care but is thriving. For the first time, he’s able to attend school, play sports with his brothers, and enjoy adventures like riding roller coasters at Disney World.