Mateo’s Story: A Personal Reason to Support Rady Children’s Health Orange County, formerly CHOC.
 
For the second year in a row, I will be participating in the annual CHOC Walk at the Disneyland Resort on August 2, 2026 — something that has become a meaningful family tradition—to raise funds for the hospital and the teams who have supported my grandson Mateo and his parents.
 
Little Mateo came into the world earlier than expected in 2025 and has dealt with many unexpected health challenges since then. Spending a majority of his life in the NICU and then PICU, he was finally able to come home after 13 months.
 
Every dollar raised from this magical event will support health care programs, education, and research at Rady Children’s Health, formerly CHOC. More than two million children a year depend on Rady's. And our community's generosity is what provides access to the best possible care and services. 
 
To donate and read more about Mateo’s story, please visit our CHOC Walk team page at https://www.chocwalk.org/mateosmadhatters.
 
Many thanks in advance for helping us write a new future for so many children and their families.
 
Sincerely,
Nancy