Nixen is an active teen who loves sports and his dog, Tashi. At the age of 12, Nixen found himself sidelined after being diagnosed with Chiari malformation, an abnormality in the back of the head where the brain and spinal cord meet. Nixen underwent successful brain surgery and treatment at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's (BNI), one of our nine Centers of Excellence that rely on philanthropy and endowments to keep us at the forefront of innovation and research.

Watch now to see how Phoenix Children's helped Nixen conquer his fears concerning surgery.

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