Nike
- For the sixteenth year in a row, Nike is teaming up with OSHU Doernbecher Children's Hospital and six of its patients to design sneakers that raise money for the hospital.
- Each patient gets to design a Nike sneaker inspired by their life, with all profits from sales going to three key areas at OSHU: clinical care, research, and education.
- In addition to designing their own favorite Nike silhouettes, each kid got to design a Zoom Pulse, Nike's new shoe that's specifically built for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
- The Nike x Doernbecher Freestyle 2019 Collection releases on December 7 at 11 a.m. EST.
Sneaker releases are often hyped up simply because of the presumed resale value, but Nike's latest sneaker collection is notable for a different reason: It helps raise money to support children in need of medical care.
In 2004, Nike teamed up with OSHU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in the company's hometown of Portland, Oregon to design sneakers and gear to help support the hospital's efforts to provide world-class healthcare to kids. Sixteen years and $27 million raised later, the collaboration is still going strong.
This year, six young patients from Doernbecher were given the opportunity to work side-by-side with Nike designers to create their own sneakers from the ground up.
Nike
Not only do the sales of the collection help support patients at Doernbecher by funding clinical care, research, and education, the process is beneficial to each kid, too. The hands-on approach to design offers kids the chance to express themselves creatively and contribute to an effort to help others like them.
To give thanks to the healthcare professionals that treated them - and all other healthcare professionals in the world - this year's designers also got to create a second pair of shoes: their own Nike Zoom Pulse, the brand's new silhouette specifically designed for medical workers who are on their feet for many hours of the day.
To extend their personal stories beyond footwear, the collection also includes hoodies, backpacks, and more. The full Doernbecher Freestyle 2019 Collection is set to launch on Saturday, December 7 at 11 a.m. ET.
Learn more about each designer and the sneakers in the collection, below:
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