Sant Says Thanks, Performs at CC

Caesar Sant, 16, returned for his fourth annual Thanksgiving concert in November, giving thanks to the NIH medical team who cured him of sickle cell disease.

His voice is deeper and he now sports a mustache. And, he continues to fine-tune his dexterity, as witnessed by his fingers flying along his violin fingerboard during his performance in the Clinical Center (CC) atrium.

Sant performed classical pieces—some Bach, Beethoven, Schubert—as well as two pieces he composed, Aurora and Adagio. He also played Amazing Grace as a trio, accompanied by former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins on guitar and Sahil Malhotra, a postbac at NINDS, making his debut on piano. The trio also performed a verse of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, with guests in attendance singing along to the chorus. Further tugging at the heartstrings was seeing Sant hug the head of his clinical team, Dr. John Tisdale.  

In 2021, Sant received a matched-sibling bone marrow transplant at the CC. He continues regular physical therapy back home and continues to grow stronger and reap benefits from the healing power of music.

Collins spoke of Sant’s resilience, courage and hope—qualities that elicit gratitude and enable the research taking place every day in the CC. The concert was again an ode to joy. 

To learn more about Sant’s medical journey, see: go.nih.gov/m7iXCXS.