Despite being diagnosed with a cancer that ultimately took one of her legs, one of Lebanon’s own young girls perseveres with a resilience that can now be witnessed on a Nike shoe as it flashes past in a sprint.
For an active young family, any injury or illness can be a setback. But for 9-year-old Sophia Jenkins and her family, their lives took a drastic turn in 2021 when a persistent pain in her leg turned into a cancer diagnosis – osteosarcoma.
With an athletic child who loved soccer, track and tumbling, Sophia’s mom and dad initially thought her leg pain was just part of growing up or an injury, but her pain didn’t resolve and, in fact, it got worse. After an MRI at an emergency room, doctors confirmed it was something much more serious.
The treatment for osteosarcoma is difficult with both chemotherapy and often amputations. Sophia faced chemotherapy and a life-altering surgery that resulted in the amputation of her right leg above the knee. Despite her new reality, Sophia refused to let the cancer diagnosis or the loss of her leg define her dreams or limit her, as her natural resilience saw her through.
Rather than slowing down, Sophia began pushing her physical limits in new ways, even teaching herself to do a one-legged backflip on the trampoline. She is determined to be involved in parasports, expressing the intent to participate in wheelchair basketball and amputee soccer.
“I want to play wheelchair basketball or amputee soccer,” she said in an interview with Oregon Health and Science University. “Those are my two favorite sports.”
Sophia’s doctor, Duncan Ramsey, M.D., said her positive attitude and resilience are inspiring.
“Imagine the reassurance a child waiting for surgery feels when they see Sophia cruising up and down the hallways on her crutches,” he remarked.
Since her surgery, Sophia transitions between crutches and a prosthetic leg, designed to support her goal of getting back to the sports she loves. In addition to her athletic dreams, Sophia’s joy for life shines through in other passions – especially her love for Taylor Swift, and making friendship bracelets for people she loves.
Sophia’s inspiring resilience didn’t go unnoticed by her team of medical professionals. This year, she was selected as one of six child designers for the Doernbecher Freestyle program, a unique partnership between Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Nike. Sophia worked closely with Nike designers to create her very own sneaker, the “Sabrina 2.” Each child participating in the program decks their sneakers out with custom details that reflect their personality and passions, and Sophia was no different.
The “Sabrina 2” is a testament to her journey and joyful outlook on life. The sneaker’s collar is lined with the same soft texture as her beloved fuzzy blanket, which she proudly shared with her design team.
“I brought my blanket to my team at Nike, and they made an exact copy of it,” she said excitedly.
In addition to these personal touches, Sophia and the Nike designers added a reminder on the back heel of the shoe: “Sophia Strong.” It’s a motto that underscores her journey – a message of resilience for other children who hear her story or to anyone who sees her running or playing ball, being the athletic young girl she is while continuing to be undeterred by obstacles.
The Doernbecher Freestyle program, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has been giving patients like Sophia a creative outlet since its beginnings in 2004. This program allows children facing serious health challenges to collaborate with Nike designers, bringing their stories, their personalities and their passions to life through the art of shoe design. Since its launch, Doernbecher Freestyle has raised more than $40 million for the hospital and its young patients.
Each year, Nike employees volunteer their time to help bring these kids’ dreams to fruition in shoe form, a labor of love that highlights the partnership between Nike and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The shoes, which capture the patient-designers’ personal journeys, will be available for purchase this winter through the SNKRS app and at select retailers, with all proceeds going back to Doernbecher.
Sophia represents the heart of the Doernbecher Freestyle program. Her journey, which began with an unexpected cancer diagnosis, has now become a story of resilience and determination that transcends her illness. She shows others that it’s possible to move forward with strength, creativity and joy.