Six young patient-designers on Friday revealed their personally designed Nike collections for the 19th Doernbecher Freestyle program, a partnership between Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Nike.
Over the past year, the patient-designers worked closely with expert Nike, Inc. creative teams to design their very own sneaker, apparel and equipment collections. In an event held at the Portland Art Museum, the patient-designers were excited to finally unveil their collections, followed by an auction to benefit the children’s hospital. The full collections will be available on the Nike App SNKRS, on Nike.com and at select retailers in December.
Often adorned with intricate details, hidden messages and bold color palettes, the highly sought-after collections represent each patient-designer’s medical journey, interests and relationships with loved ones. They tell a patient’s personal story of bravery, creativity, gratitude and hope, while also providing a unique opportunity for each child to give back to the hospital that helped save their lives.
“Year after year, the Freestyle patient-designers teach us the meaning of courage, and we’re thrilled and honored to be able to share in this experience with them,” said Dana Braner, M.D., FAAP, FCCM, physician-in-chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital; professor and chair of pediatrics, OHSU School of Medicine; and Credit Unions for Kids chair. “Freestyle is a remarkable partnership that enables us to provide better care and treatment for millions of children across the region. This event represents the incredible spirit of hope and generosity within our community and we want to thank everyone who helps make this once-in-a-lifetime experience possible.”
Since 2004, Doernbecher Freestyle has been made possible by the support of hundreds of Nike, Inc. employees who volunteer their time to make each patient’s design dreams come true. The program has produced more than 116 unique collections — including shoes, hoodies, hats and backpacks — as well as a University of Oregon Ducks football uniform, all designed by young OHSU Doernbecher patients.
Over the years, each collection has been auctioned and sold — with Nike donating 100% of the retail profits to OHSU Doernbecher — to raise nearly $37 million for the children’s hospital. This longstanding collaboration between OHSU Doernbecher and Nike has helped to cover the cost of care for families in need, expand pioneering research that benefits kids around the world, and support specialized care unavailable anywhere else in the region.
This year’s auction raised $991,015 to support OHSU Doernbecher’s vital mission. To learn more about the Doernbecher Freestyle program, visit the OHSU Foundation website.