Age: 10
Hometown: Longview, WA
Diagnosis: Bilateral dysplastic kidneys
Shoe: Nike Structure Plus
If life came with personal cheerleaders, you’d want Aurora Loss for the job. This spunky 11-year-old girl brings enough energy, optimism and enthusiasm of an entire squad. Aurora loves rooting for her hometown team — the Longview Cobras — and says she’s particularly well-suited for it.
“It’s great because I get to yell and I have an infectious laugh!” she explained.
Born with severe kidney disease, Aurora spent the first five years of her life on dialysis before receiving a kidney transplant in Seattle. Her body has struggled to accept the new kidney, but she and her family have come to rely on Doernbecher when complications arise. “Everyone there is so nice,” said Aurora. “They take really good care of me.”
Even in the face of chronic illness, Aurora refuses to let it dim her light. She channeled all her joy and positivity into her very own sneakers, which she hopes will bring cheer to everyone who wears them.
Her design is inspired by Japanese kawaii culture and features bright pink fur, delicate cherry blossoms and a friendly anime character peeking out from the midsole. Detachable charm shoelery and a removable silver hair bow add even more personality to a shoe that’s every bit as fun and vibrant as Aurora.
Beyond her life as a cheerleader, Aurora is also a budding entrepreneur who dreams of opening the world’s first, super cute, “Cutsie Hotel” that offers something for everyone. When presented with materials in her first design session, Aurora chose textures representing the carpets and pillows at her hotel. The theme is capped off with a custom logo for her hotel and a handdrawn version of her cat on one sock liner, and “Aurora’s Light” on the other.
Aurora says the best part of the Freestyle experience was getting to tap into her boundless creative talents, which include singing, dancing and drawing. “I love to draw because you can put your own fantasy world on a piece of paper,” she explained.
“With Freestyle, I got to put my own fantasy world on a shoe that I can put on my feet.”
As any good cheerleader knows, sometimes the most important words are the ones that help someone keep going. Aurora’s message to other kids facing a medical challenge is simple: “You’re safe, you’re loved and you’re more than enough!”
That’s the spirit, Aurora.
