Saucony’s Run for Good’ shoes are designed by patients at children’s hospitals

Sneaker brand Saucony is putting its best foot forward with four limited-edition sneaker collections, helping its latest Run For Good Children's Program in raising money for children’s hospitals or their designated charity. Each sneaker within the capsules takes design inspiration from the hospitals’ young patients, expressing their personal stories.

“‘Run For Good’” is an invitation to people everywhere, especially our children, to experience the transformative power of running,” said Anne Cavassa, president of Saucony, in a press release. “These collections authentically reflect the personalities and dreams of each patient-artist. By sharing their life stories and playful energy through their footwear and apparel designs, these kids are a source of hope and inspiration to not only other patients and their families, but for anyone who needs some goodness in their life right now.”

Detailed designs — In collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Boston’s Children’s Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Saucony has created 17 different sneakers and six apparel pieces, with more styles arriving next year from the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. Each piece of the collection takes inspiration from young patients at the hospitals, incorporating their favorite colors, animals, and foods into sneakers and apparel.

Chauncy, a patient at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, told Saucony designers she loved the color teal, avocado toast, ombre colors, painting, and frosting. Taking all of this into consideration — as well as Chauncy’s note that “birthdays should be a national holiday” — Saucony transformed its Freedom 4 sneaker into one featuring a rainbow-esque painting by Chauncy. The sneaker model, which also includes paintbrush, birthday cake, avocado toast, and cookie motifs, was selected to best allow Chauncy (or you) to ride on a hoverboard.

From Toronto, three lifestyle sneakers and three running shoes nod to the patients’ designs with images like daisies, robots, and even a guinea pig. Five colorful themes have emerged from Atlanta, with shoes’ uppers bearing everything from lighting to rose petals. And in Boston, patients have dressed six sneakers in vibrant tie-dye, shiny metallics, and more. Two short-sleeved shirts, a hoodie, a singlet, and a pair of shorts also join the Boston collection, taking their inspiration from patients.

Shop for a cause — Twenty percent of each sale — no matter what design — will be donated to the children’s hospitals or their designated charity, with a minimum donation of $200,000 collectively, Saucony pledges. The first collection to launch is in partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and arrives on the Saucony website August 6.

Shoes from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto are slated to drop September 1, while designs by Boston’s Children’s Hospital will debut September 8. The unisex sneaker styles range from $90 to $200, with apparel ranging from $25 to $75. Nearly as one-of-a-kind as the patients who designed them, the pieces won’t be around for long.