Shoes4Hope Helps Us Fight Pediatric Cancer

Carilion and Virginia Tech Athletics recently teamed up with Shoes4Hope, an organization started to inspire hope and aid children with cancer. Each year, as part of the ongoing NCAA initiative Coaches vs. Cancer, collegiate basketball coaches and staff nationwide wear sneakers at designated games to raise awareness for the cause. Student-athletes and coaches from the Virginia Tech men’s and women’s basketball teams joined together with Shoes4Hope to fight Pediatric Cancer during the annual Coaches vs. Cancer week.

In December, Virginia Tech men’s and women’s basketball coaches and players visited Carilion Children’s Tanglewood Center. They worked with several pediatric oncology patients to design sneakers for the coaches to wear at a designated Coaches vs. Cancer game in the 2022-23 season. Each patient had the opportunity to paint their design on sneakers for the men’s and women’s basketball coaches and staff.

The specially designed sneakers were worn by the women’s basketball coaches and staff at the Jan. 12 game against Louisville in Cassell Coliseum. The men’s basketball coaches and staff wore their sneakers on Jan. 28 as the Hokies hosted Syracuse.

Following both games, the shoes were auctioned off with proceeds going to Children’s Hematology and Oncology, ultimately raising over $13,000 toward the fight against pediatric cancer.

If you have questions about the program, contact Jeremy Wells, Marketing and Communication, at jjwells@carilionclinic.org.