Eleven-year-old Lizzy Olivan of The Dalles is one of six patients chosen to design their own Nike shoe as a fundraiser for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
The incoming The Dalles middle schooler has battled acute lymphoblast leukemia since last August, and so impressed her oncologist that she nominated her for the Nike “Doernbecher Freestyle” program.
“Lizzy has a fire that doesn’t come along too often,” Dr. Susan Lindemulder said in a press release from Doernbecher‘s.
Lindemulder said Olivan is “an amazing, happy young lady with a totally positive attitude. Although most kids can’t continue to participate in their activities during the first part of leukemia treatment, Lizzy has continued attending her ballet and tap classes.
“She is also a dedicated student and is determined to continue to do well in school even during treatment.”
Lizzy’s mom, Beatriz Olivan, said Lizzy got to go to Nike headquarters to meet the designers who helped create her limited-edition shoe.
The shoe is “completely her,” Beatriz Olivan said. “She picked out every detail, everything in the shoe. It’s completely her.”
She saw a sample of the work just this week. It will be finalized in August and then unveiled at an auction Oct. 25 at the Portland Art Museum, and then will be available in stores nationwide and online in November.
All proceeds of the auction and shoe sales will benefit Doernbecher’s. The program, now in its 12th year, has raised over $411 million to date.
Her parents kept her November nomination a secret, in case she didn’t get picked, but let her know in March when she was chosen.
“I don’t think she understood what she was doing exactly and who she was working with until she actually went there,” Beatriz Olivan said.
Lizzy also got to design a hoodie and some leggings.
Last week she had a photo shoot with the designers. “And she felt, ‘Oh, this is like I’m a celebrity!’” her mom said.
Lizzy has finished four rounds of chemo and is now on a two-year regimen of monthly maintenance chemo and daily pills.
If she stays healthy after that, she’ll be done with chemo.
“She’s starting to feel like herself. Her hair is definitely growing back. Her energy level is going back and she’s feeling, I would say, 75 percent better,” her mom said.
Her hair has come back noticeably lighter, from a nearly black-brown to a light brown.
When she’s not putting the final touches on her Nike shoe, Lizzy will spend her summer in dance classes, her favorite activity, and in swim lessons and hanging out at the pool.
Lizzy was not available for comment on this story Thursday afternoon. She was at dance class, her mom explained.
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