Nike Officially Unveils the Doernbecher Freestyle 22 Collection
PublishedQuick Facts
- The latest Doernbecher Freestyle collection has been unveiled
- The collection includes six designs: an AF1 Mid, Air Jordan 11 Low IE, GT Future, Air Max 1/97, Structure Plus, and an ACG Rufus
- The Doernbecher Freestyle 22 collection will be released via an auction on October 16, 2026 in Portland, with a wider release via SNKRS and retailers in January 2027
- Check below for details on each patient, their backstory, and the sneaker they worked on
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October marks the start of many celebrations and events, but for sneakerheads, it’s the time when Nike unveils its latest collaboration with OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital as part of the Doernbecher Freestyle collection. What began in 2004 as a means to help raise money for the children’s hospital, which to this day has generated more than $44 million, has also turned into a celebrated moment in sneaker culture.
Nike and Doernbecher team up with patients to create special footwear designs that allow the kids to express themselves, pay tribute to their friends, family, and caretakers, and showcase their limitless imagination. This year, six patients are taking part in the program, including Aurora Loss, Royce Short, Charlye Cosgrove, Owen William Flint, Kamoryn Marshall, and Avery Wilson.
Over the last nine months, Nike designers helped these six children create one-of-a-kind sneakers, going through multiple rounds of color and material feedback to bring their vision to life. The silhouettes this year include the Nike Structure Plus (Aurora), Nike Air Force 1 Mid (Royce), Nike ACG Rufus (Charlye), Nike Air Max 1/97 (Owen), Nike GT Future (Kamoryn), and the Air Jordan 11 Retro Low IE (Avery).
The Doernbecher Freestyle 22 collection will first be released via charity auction tonight, October 16, 2026. Following the auction, Nike will release the collection to the public via SNKRS and select retailers in January 2027. Follow along below to learn more about the patients, their backstories, and the sneakers they worked on. For updates on the latest Doernbecher Freestyle collection and more in the sneaker world, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Aurora Loss - Nike Structure Plus
Aurora Loss has been a fighter since she was born, receiving a life-saving kidney transplant when she was just five days old. Now, the nine-year-old is a cheerleader with big dreams and plans to open a “cutsie hotel” in Japan. Taking inspiration from Japanese kawaii fashion culture, Aurora’s lives her life like her name, in an array of bright, iridescent colors. “Drawing puts my own fantasy world on paper, and in this case, it’s on my sneakers,” Aurora said.
For her Doernbecher Freestyle opportunity, Aurora designed a Nike Structure Plus based on the cutsie hotel she plans to open as an adult, starting with a floral-printed pink and blue gradient mesh structure. The sockliner is fur, like the carpets of Aurora’s hotel lobby, while a charm bracelet around the ankle hangs like drapes, and a bejeweled pillow accessory on the tongue adds more fun luxury hotel room energy. For one last bit of kawaii-influence, a set of anime eyes is added in the midsole cushion, with a “The Cutsie Hotel” logo above it.
Nike Structure Plus Doernbecher Aurora Loss
Royce Short - Nike Air Force 1 Mid
Royce Short is a true Oregon country boy, through and through. The 12-year-old was diagnosed with tracheoesophageal fistula at birth, but the condition that affects the connection between his esophagus and airway hasn’t stopped him from keeping up the Short family’s rodeo traditions. Just like his parents, Royce competes in team bull roping, between rides on his dirt bike and fishing trips, of course. With dreams of starting his own bucking bull company, Short’s outdoors lifestyle lassos every bit of his life.
Fitting in perfectly with current sneaker trends, Short’s Doernbecher Freestyle pair is a westernwear Air Force 1 Mid. Covered in a freshly tanned mix of leather and suede in tan and chocolate brown shades, the typical AF1 Mid strap is replaced by a replica of Royce’s favorite belt, with his favorite belt buckle serving as a massive lace dubrae just above the vamp. The laces are braided like the rope he uses to snare bulls, a black animal print is added to the Swoosh, and a silhouette of a dirt bike rider is added to the lateral toe. Last but not least, a massive bass is added ot the outsole to match the hangtag accessory.
Nike Air Force 1 Mid '07 Doernbecher Royce Short
Charlye Cosgrove - Nike ACG Rufus
Charlye Cosgrove is a 15-year-old from Vancouver, Washington, and last year, she rang the bell at the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in celebration after completing treatment for bone cancer. Now, the outdoor obsessive dreams of paying it forward, with plans to be an oncology nurse and help other kids get through their own cancer struggles. Charlye loves to hike, spending her time in the Pacific Northwest’s mossy great outdoors as often as possible.
On her Doernbecher Freestyle pair, Charlye replicated her first pair of baby shoes with a pink camo colorway of the Nike ACG Rufus. The outdoor-ready slip-on starts with a pink woodland camo upper, but when it hits the sun, the colorway changes under UV rays. The sockliner and Swoosh are both fuzzy green for a mossy vibe that matches the midsole, with the date 6.11.25 hidden on the underside of the tongue, representing the day that Charlye rang the bell at Doernbecher. Last but not least, a deer skull graphic is added on the outsole to bring home the hiking vibes.
Nike ACG Rufus Doernbecher Charlye Cosgrove
Owen William Flint - Nike Air Max 1/97
Owen William Flint may only be 11 years old, but his hobbies are action-packed. He loves zooming around on his dirt bike, playing baseball, and, like many children, has an affinity for superheroes. He’s also a big fan of building LEGOS and playing PS5. When Flint grows up, he dreams of becoming a pediatric nurse, a vital role in children’s healthcare. Owen was born with chronic kidney disease, and thanks to a life-changing kidney transplant he received when he was a toddler, he’s been able to live an exciting childhood.
For his sneaker, Owen was able to revive a silhouette that we have not seen since Sean Wotherspoon first debuted the mash-up between the Air Max 1 and Air Max 97, the Air Max 1/97. The hybrid sneaker uses the upper of the Air Max 97 and the sole unit of the OG Air Max 1. In a nod to what we can assume is Iron Orange/Black-YellowMan, the upper is doused in a mixture of reddish-orange and gold, with black details used on the base mesh, the sockliner, and parts of the tongue.
A mud splatter detail that extends from the sole unit onto the upper is a nod to Flint’s love of dirt biking, while a golden dirt bike charm makes the connection even clearer. On the lace dubrae is a dirt bike wheel, not only nodding to his love of motorsports but also as a reminder that even when life gets tough, you have to keep moving. His name is printed on a lenticular panel on the medial midfoot, a nod to his love of comic books, right above his number on the baseball field, 88, which surrounds the Air unit.
Nike Air Max 1/97 Doernbecher Owen Flint
Kamoryn Marshall - Nike GT Future
At 12 years old, Kamoryn Marshall needed hip replacement surgery due to hip osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint condition where the protective cartilage in the hip wears away. This leads to bone-on-bone friction, but this hardship early in life didn’t stop him from participating in sports. Marshall now plays basketball, but he’s also known to play video games with his siblings. Kamoryn hopes to one day become an architect.
With Kamoryn being a sneakerhead and a basketball player, it makes sense he was given the opportunity to work on one of Nike’s latest basketball models, the GT Future. On the avant-garde sneaker, Marshall employed a mismatched gradient look, with one shoe starting in a deep pink and rising into a lighter hue, with the other shoe flipping the gradient. This specific color palette was chosen not just as a fashion statement, but also because they’re colors Kamoryn can easily see due to his color-blindness.
After his life-improving hip replacement, the post-surgery anesthesia gave Marshall visions of goldfish swimming around the room, which are represented on the lace lock, hangtag, and insole. As a nod to the titanium used for his right hip replacement, the Swoosh on the right shoe is done in a silver finish, while the stitch graphic on the collar is a nod to the scar from his surgery. Other details include droplet graphics applied to the upper, showcasing Kamroyn’s “drip,” the word Booyakasha on the spine of the heel, a word that Marshall says is fun to say, a hidden message on the outsole, and his very own logo on the tongue.
Nike GT Future Doernbecher Kamoryn Marshall
Avery Wilson - Air Jordan 11 Low IE
Avery Wilson was diagnosed with OCD and ADHD, but that hasn’t stopped her from exploring hobbies like drawing, ballet, and even baseball. She’s also a storyteller, creating various characters like a posh British alien named Greg. Thanks to her support team, which includes her family and the staff at Doernbecher Children's Hospital, she’s overcome the hardship of suffering from OCD and ADHD. A perfect day for Wilson would include spending time in the city of Paris with friends, family, and Taylor Swift.
Using the Air Jordan 11 Retro Low IE as her canvas, Wilson brings to life a cast of characters she’s drawn. Avery and the Nike design team added a shroud to the silhouette, done in a mismatched style, with the left pair featuring a pink and purple gradient and the right pair done in a solid yellow. Various sketches and characters are present alongside Avery Wilson’s signature. As for the sneaker itself, Wilson coats the shoe in various colors and materials, including pastel greens, pinks, and yellows that coat the elephant print and fur panels.
To represent her diagnosis, Avery added “Neurospicy” to the collar, while a friendship bracelet featuring hand-drawn letters reminds us all that there’s “No finish line.” Wilson also added a heartfelt tribute to her late grandfather, nicknamed Poppy, with a license plate lace dubrae. After his passing, she noticed more license plates with the letters “PPY,” which sit next to the numbers “143,” representing the number of letters in the words “I love you.” Remember that British alien Greg? He makes an appearance as a plushie and on the lace dubrae of the left shoe.
Air Jordan 11 Retro Low IE Doernbecher Avery Wilson
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy watching films and discovering music. Follow me on Letterboxd @nickvlah For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
