“The Oliver Patch Project patches are so much more than pieces of material. Our patches reinforce hope, mend loneliness, and repair self doubt. Our patches represent support, compassion, and strength. Our patches are tokens of love, and are the symbols of our Warriors.”
— Brian and Trisha, Oliver’s parents
Welcome
Thank you Make-A-Wish for the opportunity to share our program and mission with you. Here is a short video that best explains what Oliver Patch Project is all about.
Our Mission
The Oliver Patch Project (OPP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to create a free, fun, engaging platform where children with childhood cancers and their families can connect through a series of unique patches created by artists and designers just for them.
We empower kids to find their inner warriors, as they endure life changing milestone events, by providing a bit of sunshine throughout their cancer journey.
The project is currently open to children and teens in the United States undergoing active treatment for cancer, is supported by donations, and all the fun is provided to our Warriors 100% free of charge.
We believe in the power of positivity to promote healing.
Why Patches?
The Truth about the Power of Patches
• Community support is a critical part of wellness, especially during and after a traumatic illness.
• Rapport and Connection between the child and their medical team to help children get through challenging and uncomfortable procedures.
• Validation of being seen and recognized for their efforts and valor.
• Achievement badges are a familiar symbol for children and provide acknowledgement for real life experiences.
• Conversation Starter -Warriors may not know how to share their experiences with others or know what to say about their diagnosis, treatment, or recovery but their jacket/tote bag allows them to do so in a positive way.
• Earning and collecting patches is a family endeavor that has benefits for parents and guardians.
Milestones
Like knights preparing for battle, our OPP Warriors suit up in their warrior jacket “armor” and earn Milestone Patches for each medical milestone treatment they complete along their cancer journey.
Milestones are defined as significant events in the development of a person. For cancer patients, milestones symbolize progress. They represent a breakthrough or turning point; a challenge overcome and worthy of celebration.
Thirteen of the strongest and bravest animals represent the thirteen major milestones a child will experience on their cancer journey.
Our empowering milestone patches will be administered to the child by their parent or guardian following each of these events.
How it Works
Step 1
When a child is introduced to the program through a hospital partner, they receive a welcome patch with details on how to sign up. The sign up process is carried out online where they select a jacket or tote bag and 20 of their favorite patches, which have been designed by artists especially for the Oliver Patch Project Warriors.
Step 2
The garment is custom curated with a nickname patch and sent to them at home with a box of milestone patches. The milestone patches represent 13 of the most common medical milestones a child will face, such as chemotherapy, radiation, blood transfusion and hair loss.
Step 3
After enrollment in the project, each Warrior will receive a new patch each month for the next year. All of this is provided to them free of charge through donations to the Oliver Patch Project. This project empowers kids to find their inner warrior, as they endure life changing events no child should ever have to face.
Each monthly patch/QR Code leads to our website where Warriors can watch encouraging videos and can download awesome coloring sheets.
Arts and Educational Content
Creativity is a byproduct of Positivity
OPP is all about the Arts!
OPP creates fun, engaging educational content that supports children and their families throughout their cancer treatment.
Videos can be viewed on the OPP YouTube Channel, monthly Patches of Positivity webpages and OPP Website.
Downloadable coloring pages and additional artistic content are a key component of a child’s well being and part of the OPP curricula.
What Parents are saying:
"I just wanted to let you know we received Jackson's jacket last week and we were blown away! The patches are adorable-and we love his name patch (he does as well). This is such a special gift for him and will mean so much when we can iron-on all his milestone patches. Thank you so much for what you are doing for kids like my son. We so appreciate it and look forward to watching him wear the jacket!"
“I haven’t seen my daughter smile in months, and she gets so happy every time she receives a patch in the mail!”
“My son wears his jacket everywhere…even to sleep!”
OPP Impact
Oliver Patch Project is a 501(c)(3) non profit operating from a home base in Miami, FL and is actively serving children across the United States with a presence in 45 States.
In 2022, 526 kids have received custom empowering jackets and tote bags through the OPP website and in 2023, with strategic hospital partnerships, we will add 750 more children to our OPP family.
Here are a few of our Warriors!
Oliver Patch Project is currently providing smiles in 45 states!
Providing Support Together!
We envision an amazing collaboration where together we can help provide love and support to all Make-A-Wish pediatric cancer warriors and families.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Brian and Trisha (Oliver’s parents)
brian@oliverpatchproject.org
c: 305-588-1667
