Every year since 2004, Nike has partnered with the Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital for a special collection of sneakers designed by patients with proceeds benefiting care costs for families in need. To date, the partnership has raised $37 million for the hospital, and for the 20th installment, the figure will increase with a new set of six shoes and a special Air Jordan 20 sneaker auction celebrating every Doernbecher Freestyle contributor thus far.
This year’s collection includes an Air Jordan 6 Retro designed by Jillian Beagley, a 14-year-old patient who received a liver transplant at 11. Her design includes mismatched left and right shoes, numerous interchangeable Velcro patches and toe boxes which wear away to reveal a new color underneath. “Give life” embroidery is featured on the toe as a tribute to her liver donor.
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9-year-old Sophia Jenkins, who has osteosarcoma, designed her own Nike Sabrina 2. The parasport athlete referenced things that bring her joy and comfort, like her fuzzy blanket which is replicated on the liner. Smiley faces and flower graphics represent some of her favorite stickers, and the shoe also comes packaged with DIY friendship bracelets.
Tima Sviridenko, an 11-year-old patient with X-linked lymphoproliferative Disease 1, designed the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 41 in honor of his cat, Murka. His pet is referenced throughout the shoe, including at the tip of the Swoosh logo as a reminder to “hang in there.” Even the outsole of the Zoom Pegasus 41 has been altered to include a paw print.
Connor Kassing Fernández’s positive attitude toward surgery and chemotherapy is highlighted on his Nike Air Max Dn design, which includes his “paso a pasa” (step by step) motto on the glow-in-the-dark outsole in both Spanish and English. The upper of the shoe is adorned in some of the 14-year-old patient’s favorite things including sunrises, quesadillas and music notes.
The Nike Air Max SNDR was the shoe of choice for Quin Nims, 10, who was diagnosed with an anorectal malformation. Nims covered the Air Max SNDR in blots of color she says represent “splashes of joy and power” to create what she calls the “happiest shoes that I can think of.” The shoe features an updated mudguard with a dragon-inspired spike look that’s even textured to look like the magical creatures.
Ja’Kai Taylor designed the Nike Air 180 with nods to his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. The lightning bolt-covered shoe features a fully glow-in-the-dark outsole and a gradient fade inspired by video games. The shoe’s Swoosh is given a bubbly look inspired by his love for juice boxes, while the lightning bolts reference the electronic glucose monitors he wears.
Each sneaker in the Nike “Doernbecher Freestyle 20” collection will come in new pop-up shoeboxes. An exact release date for the group has not been announced, but Nike says it will launch globally this winter on SNKRS and from select retailers. Readers can preview the collection below and find more information at nike.com.
