A meeting with Max Verstappen gave 18-year-old Nina a lasting memory.
Eighteen-year-old Nina is battling cancer for the second time. In the midst of demanding treatment, she experienced a moment she says she will never forget.
A devoted fan of four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, she even brought a pillow bearing his picture with her to hospital. During the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, she was given the chance to meet her sporting hero in person—although, according to former Slovak president Andrej Kiska, the meeting almost never happened.
Kiska, co-founder of the charity Dobrý Anjel, which supports families of children with cancer, shared Nina's story on social media.
According to him, Nina was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a malignant bone tumour, at the age of nine. After undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, she completed her treatment in early 2018.
