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Each year, Nike and Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) Doernbecher Children’s Hospital give six brave young patients an opportunity to design unique products that are auctioned and sold to benefit the hospital. Since 2004, the Nike x Doernbecher Freestyle program has raised nearly $31 million dollars and garnered notoriety as one of the most anticipated sneaker events each year. After going virtual for the past three years due to COVID-19, the annual auction returns to its in-person format tonight at the Portland Art Museum.
Sneakers and apparel designed by Coley Miller, Riddhi Mahajan, Emerson Harrell, Dario Villaseñor Valdivia, Kylee Young, and Jaren Heacock will be up for grabs, with all donations supporting the OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The lineup consists of the Nike Air Foamposite One, Air Jordan 1 Low, Nike Air Max 90, Nike Air Huarache, Nike Air Presto, and Nike Zoom Vomero 5. In addition to tonight’s auctions, the Doernbecher Freestyle XVIII Collection will be available to purchase on SNKRS, the Nike app, nike.com, and select retailers in early 2023.
Meet this year’s patient designers and see their sneakers for the first time below.
UPDATE (02/11): Official images of the Doernbecher Freestyle XVIII Collection have loaded on the backend of Nike’s website. At the time of writing, the sneakers are expected to release early this year, but a specific date has yet to be announced by the brand.
Air Foamposite One by Coley Miller
Age: 11
Hometown: Chiloquin, Oregon
Diagnosis: Kidney transplant
Favorite sport: Basketball
Perfect day: Playing outside with family
When I grow up: I want to be a veterinarian
“As a proud member of the Klamath Tribes, Coley Miller found plenty of design inspiration within her culture. Her retro hoop shoe features a basket weave graphic that incorporates a quail plume and the Klamath mountains. The night sky graphics are inspired by stargazing with her mother, who donated one of her kidneys to Coley. As for the phrase “ho mas gi” on the outsole, that’s a reminder to Just Do It in Coley’s Klamath language.”
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Air Jordan 1 Low by Riddhi Mahajan
Age: 15
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Diagnosis: Cystic fibrosis
Favorite athlete: Serena Williams
When I grow up: I want to be a doctor
Prized possession: A pair of earrings from my late grandmother
“Riddhi Mahajan is a bright, articulate teen who radiates positivity wherever she goes—and she designed her Air Jordan 1 Lows to do the same. The phrase Brand New Day is a reminder that there’s always something to look forward to, while the ombre laces represent a sunrise. Riddhi’s eternally positive mindset has already helped her tackle some big goals, like earning a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.”
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Air Max 90 by Emerson Harrell
Age: 15
Hometown: Sherwood, Oregon
Diagnosis: Inflammatory bowel disease
Heroes: My parents
Secret talent: I’m a good dancer
Favorite school subject: Math – I’m good at doing it in my head
“Emerson Harrell is a witty, energetic teen who loves playing video games, watching sports and collecting sneakers (ten pairs and counting!). Now Emerson can add another pair to his prized collection—his own Air Max 90s. They are inspired by his dream of becoming an investor and feature money graphics on the Swoosh. The phrase Bear Down is a shout-out to Emerson’s beloved Arizona Wildcats, as well as a rally cry for all of life’s challenges.”
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Air Huarache by Dario Villaseñor Valdivia
Age: 13
Hometown: Vancouver, Washington
Diagnosis: Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
Secret talent: Voice impressions, singing and jokes
When I grow up: I want to be an animator
Perfect day: Eating Chinese food and seeing the people I love
“When Dario received a bone marrow transplant seven years ago to treat his leukemia, his body attacked the donor cells, leaving his lungs severely damaged. But throughout it all, this good-natured guy has remained Siempre Fuerte (Always Strong). Dario’s shoe is a nod to some of his favorite things in life: oranges, his long-haired plush toy and creating stick animation for his YouTube channel.”
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Air Presto by Kylee Young
Age: 12
Hometown: Ridgefield, Washington
Diagnosis: Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) survivor
Favorite color: Pink, then the rest of the rainbow
Secret talent: Making friends
Perfect day: See my family and go on an adventure
“Get ready to walk on sunshine because Kylee “Cookie” Young’s colorful shoe is all about happy vibes. A childhood infection left Kylee paralyzed and unable to speak, but this never-give-up girl knows exactly how to get her message across. Her Nike Air Presto features all the things that bring her joy, like springtime, flowers and especially cookies.”
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Zoom Vomero 5 by Jaren Heacock
Age: 10
Hometown: Springfield, Oregon
Diagnosis: Cleft palate
Favorite athletes: My brother and sisters
When I grow up: I want to be an engineer, artist, designer – and maybe a doctor
Fun fact: I like to sing and grow plants
“You heard it here first: the future will be assembled by Jaren Heacock. Equal parts energy and ideas, he loves creating, coding and building robots. Jaren’s shoe captures his inventive spirit with interchangeable patches and honors his Chinese heritage with dragon-inspired design cues. Look inside the shoe, and you’ll find what matters most to Jaren—the names of his siblings.”
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