Age: 15
Hometown: Wilsonville, OR
Diagnosis: Liver transplant, biliary atresia
Shoe: Air Jordan 6 Retro
Diagnosed with a serious liver disease as an infant, doctors predicted that Jillian would need a transplant by the time she was in kindergarten. However, Jillian’s strength and resolve pushed that timeline back. She managed to live a full and active life all the way until she turned 11 — that’s when Jillian received a life-saving liver transplant.
These days, the upbeat teen is living life to the fullest and has already helped the Tigard Tigers win a state basketball championship title. She dreams of playing college basketball and plans to become a nurse, like the ones who did so much for her.
“The nurses at Doernbecher were so caring and really went out of their way to put me at ease,” she recalled. “I’ll never forget all their little acts of kindness, and I hope to pay it forward with other
kids someday.”
Jillian’s Air Jordan 6 Retro is all about options with toe boxes that reveal a different color with wear and fun, interchangeable patches of some of her favorite things (her water bottle, lacrosse stick and a cool cucumber slice all make an appearance).
The heart-shaped perforations are a subtle reminder to live life with kindness, and embroidered on the toe boxes Jillian shares a heartfelt message — Give Life. “That’s a tribute to my organ donor, who gave me a second chance at life,” she explained. “I hope it will inspire other people to register to be organ donors, because there are so many kids out there on transplant waiting lists.”
As someone who is constantly looking for ways to help others, Jillian says her Doernbecher Freestyle experience was a dream come true.
“Being in the hospital is very scary and isolating — especially if you’re a kid who just wants to go outside and play. Being able to support Doernbecher so that patients like me can get back to being a kid faster is amazing.”
Jillian
