Every year, Nike and Doernbecher Children's Hospital link up to give young patients a chance to design their own sneakers, telling their stories through every stitch, color, and detail. For 2025, six incredible kids have put their hearts into the Doernbecher Freestyle 20 Collection, turning their struggles and victories into wearable art. This ain’t just about kicks, it’s about resilience, creativity, and a whole lot of personality.
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Jillian, a baller with a second chance at life, came through with a design as dynamic as her game. Mismatched colors, sparkly lace details, and hidden messages tell her journey as a liver transplant survivor. The toe boxes even wear saway over time to reveal a new color because life, like her shoes, is all about transformation. The sneaker is detailed with a “Give Life” embroidery being a beautiful tribute to the donor who made her future possible.
Sophia isn’t letting anything stop her, not even osteosarcoma. This fearless 9-year-old, who taught herself to do a one-legged backflip, put her love for friendship bracelets, fuzzy blankets and her beloved pickle stuffie onto her Sabrina 2s. The glow-in-the-dark soles and DIY bracelet kit add a personal touch, while “Sophia Strong” stitched on the heel keeps her fighting spirit front and center.
Tima’s love for cats runs deep, so of course, his Pegasus 41 is a feline dream. His cat Murka hangs off the Swoosh, paw prints appear when the soles hit water, and his favorite cat stuffie makes a lace charm cameo. But this sneaker also tells his medical journey, his transplant date, March 4th , is immortalized on the laces, honoring the day his immune system got the reset it needed.
Music is therapy, and for Connor, it’s life. This sneaker blends his love for the piano with his experience battling a brain tumor, featuring music notes from an original duet he wrote with his sister. His “Step by Step” motto is stamped on the outsole and air bubble, alongside Spanish details repping his roots. A gold lace lock nods to his favorite building blocks, proving that every small piece makes a masterpiece.
Quin is tiny but mighty and her Air Max SNDR is proof. The bold splatter print is her personal definition of joy and power, while a dragon-scale pattern and spiky mudguard represent her fierce love for fantasy creatures. Unzip the shoe, and her name is hiding among glittering sparkles. She described the design as, "The happiest shoe I could think of," and we’re all here for it.
Ja’Kai moves fast, whether on the soccer field or filming TikToks about life with Type 1 diabetes. His Air 180 is pure energy, with reflective lightning bolts, a glowing outsole, and bubbly Swooshes inspired by his go-to juice boxes. His jersey number 30 is stamped on the heels, making sure everyone knows he’s charging up for the win.
The Doernbecher Freestyle 20 Collection isn’t just a sneaker drop, it’s a celebration of courage, creativity, and the power of storytelling through design. Every pair sold helps fund life-saving medical care, proving that kicks can do more than just turn heads, they can change lives.