When Oliver Burkhardt underwent leukemia treatment at age 9, he’d enter the hospital wearing his patch-covered denim jacket: Pokemon; Superman; NASA; Police, fire, military; Classic rock bands. About 50 patches sewn on by his parents, selected from thousands sent by well-wishers worldwide after his dad made a social media request.
The jacket became Oliver’s suit of armor, deflecting his disease — and the nasty side effects of his treatment. The patches also made Oliver feel special.
Seeing how the jacket and its patches helped Oliver, he and his parents, Brian Burkhardt and Trisha Brookbank, thought other kids battling cancer might like one, too.
And with that spark of an idea, the Oliver Patch Project was born.
Three years after launching, the charity has provided more than 1,600 children from infancy to 19 years with either a free denim jacket or tote bag. They are adorned with 20 patches selected by the child or parents from the program’s website, then each month they receive another patch in the mail.
Parents also receive a box of 13 milestone patches to gift their child while they’re undergoing a common cancer treatment or experiencing a side effect. A gorilla for starting chemo. A bald eagle for hair loss. A polar bear for fever. They help alleviate some of the trauma as the child works toward the “I Rang the Bell” patch for completing treatment.