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First Look at the Doernbecher x Nike Freestyle XVIII Collection

Juan Hernandez

SoleSavy is honored to return as presenting sponsor of Doernbecher Freestyle XVIII.

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital has partnered with Nike since 2004, creating life-changing memories and unforgettable sneakers. Since 2004, Doernbecher Freestyle has collaborated with more than 100 patient designers and hundreds of Nike employee volunteers to make each patient’s design dreams come to life.

Every collection has been auctioned and sold, with the Swoosh donating 100% of the retail profits to help raise more than $30 million for the children’s hospital. The one–of–a–kind collaboration between OHSU Doernbecher and Nike has helped to cover the cost of care for families in need, expand pioneering research that benefits kids worldwide, and support specialized care unavailable anywhere else in the region.

For the first time since 2019, the Doernbecher Freestyle program will return to an in-person format. On Friday, October 28, six young patient designers will reveal their personally designed Nike sneakers. 

These highly sought-after collections represent each patient designer’s medical journey, interests, and relationships with loved ones and healthcare providers. Importantly, the collections also provide a unique opportunity for each child to give back to the hospital that helped save their lives.

The latest chapter in the storied partnership showcased the sneakers and apparel of six OHSU patient designers. Take a closer look at each pair below, and learn more about the creative OHSU patients behind each pair. 

Coley Miller – Age 11 – Nike Air Foamposite One

Coley Miller took on the Nike Air Foamposite One. Coley’s collection honors her Native American culture with a custom basketweave graphic incorporating a quail plume design. The galactic backdrop is a tribute to her mother, who loves to watch the stars with Coley. And as for the phrase ho mas gi on the outsole, that’s a reminder to Just Do It in the Klamath language.  

“I really wanted to do something that represents my people,” Coley explained. Her design team even met with the Klamath Tribal Council to be sure that her design accurately reflected the Klamath culture.

Dario Villasenor Valdivia – Age 14 – Nike Air Huarache Run

Dario Villasenor Valdivia let his personality shine through the Nike Air Huarache Run. He loves eating oranges, which explains the bright orange color and pebbled texture of the upper. The brown furry material is a nod to the plush toy that his big sister bought him years ago after a long hospital stay. As for the stick figures on the toe box, they represent Dario’s passion for animation, which he plans to do professionally someday.

Silver accents appear on the heel tab of Dario’s Air Huarache Run which feature his initals on the side. To top it all off, Dario included the two words that serve as his personal mantra through life: Siempre Fuerte (Always Strong). “My friends tell me that I’ve always been strong, so I thought it might inspire other people to be strong too,” he said.

Emerson Harrell – Age 15 – Nike Air Max 90

Did you know Emerson Harrell has 10 sneakers (and counting) in his collection? His take on the Air Max 90 is inspired by his dreams of becoming an investor and features U.S. currency graphics on the Swoosh. His first initial has been reimagined as a dollar sign on the tongue and back heel, while the sockliner features the GPS coordinates of his home. The phrase Bear Down on the side panel is a shout-out to Emerson’s beloved Arizona Wildcats and a rallying cry for all of life’s challenges.

Outside of the thrill of getting to design his own signature shoe, Emerson says his favorite part of the experience was working with his Nike design team. “They were so nice and really listened to me,” he said. “We’ve gotten so close through this process—they really feel like family.

 

Jaren Heacock – Age 10 – Nike Zoom Vomero 5

Jaren Heacock assembled the Nike Zoom Vomero 5 to perfection. Jaren’s collection captures his inventive spirit with interchangeable patches and honors his Chinese roots with dragon-inspired design cues. “I was born in the year of the dragon, so I thought that would be cool,” he explained. Look inside the shoe, and you’ll find what matters most to Jaren—the names of his siblings, along with fireworks to represent the Chinese New Year. 

Jaren’s love for coding and tech is apparent in his design as well with “Assembling” and “Future” on the heel as a nod to his aspirations to be a tech designer in the future.

Kylee Young – Age 12 – Nike Air Presto

Kylee’s love for art and fashion was put to good use in the creation of her Nike Air Presto. She used her communication device to select the colors, materials, and graphics, which are inspired by all the things that bring Kylee joy. Because she loves being in nature, Kylee’s bright pink upper features a friendly sun, spring flowers, and raindrops to help bring on the blooms.  The outsole is made from glittery rubber and the heel features a nod to her Girl Scout skills and prolific cookie selling skills earning her the name “Cookies” from her family and friends which you can find embroidered on the heel.

Riddhi Mahajan – Age 15 – Air Jordan 1 Low

One conversation with Riddhi Mahajan and you can immediately see how much positivity she radiates everywhere she goes. Riddhi designed her collection to do the same. The reflective trim represents Riddhi’s bright outlook on life, while the embroidered daisy adds a cheerful touch. “Daisies just make me happy, and I like that they open up in the sunshine,” she explained.

Across the toe box, Riddhi included the phrase Brand New Day, because she believes each new day is a new opportunity to live, laugh and grow. Just to drive the message home, she designed the laces to mimic a sunrise. 

To learn more about Riddhi tune into our podcast.