The Las Vegas Raiders took the field Sunday to face their NFL opponent and support children's health in Nevada, wearing customized cleats and sneakers to honor young patients with serious illnesses, according to News3LV.
Elandon Roberts, the Raiders' linebacker, collaborated with 11-year-old Isaak Gavin-Oddieo, a pediatric patient with Ewing Sarcoma, to design cleats depicting his chemotherapy journey and upcoming surgery. Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan partnered with 7-year-old brain cancer survivor Evelyn Lackey to create sneakers featuring dragons and flowers, according to the Raiders news release.
As part of the NFL’s "My Cause My Cleats" initiative, the Raiders highlighted Intermountain Health’s plan to build Nevada’s first standalone children’s hospital by 2030, offering comprehensive cancer care. "This is about giving our kids hope, healing, and a future they can grow into," said Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan, according to News3LV.
The custom cleats and sneakers, highlighting stories of courage, will be auctioned at the 2025 Festival of Trees in Salt Lake City, with proceeds supporting the planned children’s hospital. Intermountain Health region president Mitch Cloward teamed with 14-year-old Aiden Woodward, who has a rare brain condition, to design a set of sneakers. "The strength of the patients cannot be understated," Cloward told the Raiders news release.
