It’s been 20 years since Nike first teamed up with the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Doernbecher Children’s Hospital to create a collection of sneakers designed by patients. The program has raised over $37 million USD in its two decades of running and has seen 122 patient-designers create one-of-a-kind kicks with the help of 330 Nike volunteer product experts. Tonight, the Doernbecher Freestyle XX Collection was unveiled in its entirety, highlighting the six young creatives and their reimagining of beloved Nike sneakers, which are set to be auctioned and later sold, with all profits going to the OHSU Foundation to help fund the cost of care for families in need, support specialized treatment unavailable elsewhere in the region and expand pioneering research that benefits kids around the world.
Each shoe embodies the personality and journey of these children and, for the first time, will come in a special custom, split-open box. In addition to the shoes, a special Nike Tech Fleece Hoodie incorporates elements from each shoe on its sleeves, with all six of the designers’ first names embroidered on the back. The Nike Doernbecher team is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the program by auctioning off a limited run of Air Jordan 20 “Doernbecher” sneakers that have not yet been revealed but are said to sport a tapestry of laser graphics that commemorate the program. 20 numbered pairs will be made available at Sotheby’s, with all proceeds benefitting Doernbecher. Each auction winner will also receive a tee and Tech Fleece Bomber Jacket that features the special laser print.
Online auction bidding for the Air Jordan 20 “Doernbecher” will open on October 21 and close on October 30 at 12pm EDT. Bidding begins at $1 USD and more information, including a likely reveal of the shoes, will be made available via Sotheby’s soon. As for the rest of the collection, it will be made available globally via Nike SNKRS and select retailers this winter.
Nike Air 180 by Ja’Kai Taylor
Ja’Kai Taylor, age nine, is an outgoing young kid who channels his active spirit into the things he loves most, including gaming, soccer and making TikToks that talk about dealing with Type 1 diabetes. Ja’Kai teamed up with volunteers from Nike to outfit the Air 180 in his favorite color: blue. Though it also sports a gradient that transitions to green, nodding to the same color scheme that is often used for power-ups in video games. His high-energy personality blossoms across the shoe as reflective lightning bolts nod to the electronic continuous glucose monitoring device attached to his arm. Ja’Kai’s medical journey is further referenced with the “T1D” hit at the tongue that is included to inspire other children who have Type 1 diabetes. Bubble Swooshes adorn each side of the sneaker and are a reference to his love for juice boxes while the heel gives a shout-out to soccer with its kit-based graphic of his name and jersey number. Rounding out the special sneaker is a glow-in-the-dark outsole that charges up with exposure to light.
Air Jordan 6 by Jillian Beagley
“Give Life.” Jillian Beagley’s simple-yet-earnest plea is one that comes from the heart. Diagnosed with a serious liver disease as an infant, Jillian went on to receive a transplant at the age of 11. Now, 14 years old and the proud winner of a state basketball title, the upbeat athlete presents her very own take on the Air Jordan 6. Her colorful rendition of the sneaker comes with a set of interchangeable patches that commemorate some of her favorite things: soccer, lacrosse, cucumbers, her favorite tumbler, and, of course, basketball. These patches can be fastened to the sneaker via the collar, which notably sees its typical puff replaced by a hook-and-loop system. Known for wearing mismatched Jordan colorways on-court, Jillian’s AJ6 taps into this by appearing in an alternating color palette. Circling back to the “Give Life” callout, the note is embroidered in purple at the toe box and serves as a tribute to Jillian’s liver donor. “Thanks to them, I have a second chance at life,” she shares. Not only does it stand out with the heartfelt note, but the toe box also shifts color with wear. Another message comes courtesy of the medial midsole, with the left shoe proclaiming “SPORTS ARE MY JOY” while the right declares “IT’S WHO I AM.” Jillian’s final touch symbolizes her believing that everyone is “Pure Gold” when they are true to themselves. This is reflected not only via several of the patches and the golden notes at the lace shroud and lace lock, but below the heel’s Jumpman logo as well.
Nike Air Max DN by Connor Kassing Fernández
For Connor Kassing Fernández, life happens one step at a time. The 14-year-old creative underwent surgery and chemotherapy for his brain tumor, with him being left unconscious for a long period of time during treatment. Connor also dealt with short term memory trouble but, as described by him during a special conversation that Hypebeast was invited to listen in on, he continues to show positive progress. Connor, joined by his family that he loves dearly and Joe Stagliano, one of the volunteer Nike designers who worked with Connor, was candid during the call about his love for creating things while also demonstrating a profound sense of gratitude for the support that he’s received.
Collaborating with Nike on the new Air Max Dn, he was quick to design 17 different colorways and had his mind set on creating a shoe that would be commercial. Ultimately, he landed on black and gold, nodding to the colors of his previous school while also simply being a color scheme that he’s a fan of. Connor’s love for music was immediately made clear to the Nike team when, during an early meeting, he played a duet on the piano that he wrote with his big sister. This inspired the designers to transcribe the music and place a passage on the shoe. The right and left shoes represent the notes played by one’s corresponding hands, with Connor’s part on the right and his sister Tess’ part on the left. Personal notes were also written by Connor across the sneaker, with words like sunrises, band, battle scars and quesadillas included. A fractal pattern covers much of the upper, serving as a variation of the Zentagles that he doodles for relaxation while also being symbolic of everyone having their own cracks and acknowledging them not as weaknesses, but beautiful strengths.
“Paso a paso, step by step” serves as the motto that has guided Connor forward, emphasizing thinking about the now rather than what may happen later. Its Spanish portion is an homage to his Spanish mother and the phrases appear at both the glow-in-the-dark outsole, as well as the Air bubbles. Looking closer at the shoe’s unique Air system, signatures from the whole team — Connor, his family and the design team — are subtly featured at the Air bags. A gold lace lock is also included with the shoe, featuring what is described as a “Connor Heart” — the unique way he drew hearts when he was younger. When opened, the lace lock showcases his Air Connor logo with a musical note, which is also present at the heel of the kicks, while functioning like a LEGO brick, referencing his love for building with LEGO pieces. As the call came to a close, Stagliano had a surprise for everyone. Taking out the sockliners, he held them up to reveal a map of Spain, celebrating his mother’s heritage and prompting an emotional outpour of appreciation from Connor and his family.
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 41 by Tima Sviridenko
It’s unlikely that you’ve ever heard of X-linked lymphoproliferation Disease 1 (XLP1), but for Tima Sviridenko, he knows it all too well. The extremely rare immune system disorder led to the 11-year-old receiving a bone marrow transplant that ultimately aided his immune system to recovery, something he is incredibly grateful for. A lover of cats, Tima’s big dreams include not only visiting Cat Island (Aoshima, Japan), but to design his very own robotic cat as well. Channeling this passion, he worked with Nike to outfit the Air Zoom Pegasus 41 in a feline-inspired colorway. Tima’s cat Murka hangs onto the lateral Swoosh, reminding us all to hang in there. His favorite cat stuffie, Murzik, makes an appearance as a lace-hanging patch while a subtle array of paw prints glow in the dark across the upper. Tima took things a step further by asking designers to modify the outsole to have a paw shape that would allow him to leave paw prints on dry land after stepping in water. His gratitude is on full display with the tropical color scheme nodding to his bone marrow donor’s home of Florida. Tima also shows love to his donor by including his name, Dylan, next to his own name at the aglets. That’s not all that the laces include, “MARCH 4TH” text remembers when Tima had his bone marrow transplant, marking the day that his family felt they could finally “MARCH FORTH,” another note included at the laces.
Nike Sabrina 2 by Sophia Jenkins
Sophia Jenkins lost part of her right leg to Osteosarcoma (a rare bone cancer), but she hasn’t let it stop her. The nine-year-old set her sights on being a parasport athlete and has a brilliant one-legged backflip that she taught herself. Sophia’s participation in the Nike Doernbecher Freestyle program involved creating a special take on the Sabrina 2 that touches on all of the things that bring her comfort in life. First, her favorite pickle stuffie can be spotted at the lateral, covered in hearts. The floral stickers that she loves adorns the midsole while the outsole is all smiles with its glow-in-the-dark capabilities. Looking to the lining, the texture of Sophia’s pink fuzzy blanket that she’s had since she was a baby was recreated for all to enjoy. The final touch on the shoe comes courtesy of the “Sophia Strong” motto at the heel, which recreates the t-shirt design that her community wore when rallying around her as she navigated her diagnosis. However, that’s not all; each pair comes with a DIY friendship bracelet kit, something that Sophia loves to make for her loved ones.
Nike Air Max Sunder by Quin Nims
“Tiny but Strong” — the mantra of fearless 10-year-old Quin Nims. Not only is she a fierce wall climber, Quin also endured multiple surgeries to treat a rare defect of her bladder and gastrointestinal system. This unrelenting energy is present across what she describes as the “happiest shoes that I can think of,” — her unique take on the Nike Air Max Sunder. Its teal, orange and purple color scheme nods to her favorite colors and the clothes she wears most with a colorful print symbolizing “splashes of joy and power,” how she felt after her bladder surgery. This is then further channeled via the speckled Air bubbles on the sneaker. Elsewhere, the mudguard was adjusted into a spiky shape with a dragon scale print, nodding to her favorite movie character and the very creature that was the subject of a book she wrote about in school. Sparkly laces are hidden beneath the sneaker’s shroud system, which, when unzipped, displays Quin’s name proudly. Behind the tongue, the “Tiny but Strong” slogan reminds onlookers to never underestimate Quin.
