Age: 9
Hometown: Lebanon, OR
Diagnosis: Osteosarcoma
Shoe: Sabrina 2
In 2022, Sophia was an active kid who loved playing soccer, running track and participating in CrossFit Kids classes. Then her leg started hurting. At first, the family chalked it up to growing
pains — but further testing revealed bone cancer. To treat the disease, Sophia underwent months of chemotherapy and surgery to amputate part of her right leg above the knee.
You would think this might have slowed Sophia down a bit. Instead, she promptly taught herself to do a one-legged backflip and resolved to become a parasport athlete.
“I want to PLAY wheelchair basketball or amputee soccer,” she said. “Those are my two FAVORITE SPORTS.”
Her doctor, Duncan Ramsey, M.D., M.S., says Sophia’s can-do attitude is already serving as an inspiration to other kids. “Imagine the reassurance a child waiting for surgery feels when they see Sophia cruising up and down the hallways on her crutches,” he pointed out.
Since her surgery, Sophia has gone from cruising around on crutches to testing out a new prosthesis so she can get back to the sports she loves. She’s also a huge Taylor Swift fan and in typical Swiftie fashion, loves making friendship bracelets for all her favorite people.
Sophia’s happy-go-lucky Sabrina 2 is scattered with flowers, smiley faces and an image of her favorite stuffie: a pickle with hearts on it. For those who enjoy a dash of cozy comfort with their sneakers, the ankle collar is lined with the same texture as Sophia’s beloved fuzzy blanket. “I brought my blanket to my team at Nike, and they made an exact copy of it!” she marveled.
As a finishing touch, Sophia added a friendly reminder on the back heel to live life the
way she does: Sophia Strong.
“I want people to know that even if you’re going through something hard, you can still be happy.”
Sophia
