The Oregon Ducks football team, under the leadership of coach Dan Lanning, is set to don a special uniform that carries a deeply personal and meaningful message. For the fifth time, the Ducks will wear a unique uniform dedicated to raising awareness and funds for cancer research, but this iteration, named the “Heroes” uniform, is particularly close to home for the Lanning family.
This year’s “Heroes” uniform is a heartfelt tribute conceived by the Lannings, especially Dan Lanning’s wife, Sauphia, a bone cancer survivor. After successfully battling osteosarcoma and completing her treatment in 2017, Sauphia poured her gratitude and admiration for those who supported her into the design. “This is her love letter to her heroes,” explained Quinn Van Horne, the senior designer at Van Horne Brands, the company that collaborated with the Lannings to bring their vision to life. “This is her thanking the people who truly helped save her life.”
The uniform is rich with personal symbolism, incorporating ideas from Dan and Sauphia, as well as their three sons. The dominant color, yellow, is a direct acknowledgement of Sauphia’s fight against osteosarcoma. However, the helmet, cleats, gloves, and sleeve patches feature a vibrant multi-color panel, symbolizing solidarity with individuals affected by all types of cancer.
A key element of the design is the Oregon “O” logo integrated with a yellow ribbon, a concept sketched by Sauphia herself. This powerful symbol is prominently displayed on the helmet’s back and on a sleeve patch, an inclusion championed by the Lannings’ middle son, Kniles.
Adding another layer of personal touch, the Lannings’ oldest son, Caden, suggested incorporating an ice cream cone. This symbol, which will appear on merchandise sold to benefit cancer research, recalls the ice cream treats the family shared to lift spirits during Sauphia’s treatment. Youngest son Titan contributed the idea for the multi-color panel on the cleats. Coach Dan Lanning himself brought the molecular structure of the “red devil” chemotherapy treatment to the uniform design. This distinctive pattern is subtly woven into the gloves and sleeves, and will also be featured on select retail items.
“I’m really glad the boys and Dan got to be a part of it all,” Sauphia shared. “They were definitely my driving force in getting better and healing. I’m just so glad they were able to put their touch on it.”
The “Heroes” uniform is the latest in Oregon’s “Stomp Out Cancer” series, an initiative that began shortly after Dan Lanning’s arrival in 2022. University of Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens proposed using a special uniform to share Sauphia’s inspiring story.
During Oregon’s Holiday Bowl trip in that year, Sauphia sketched the “O” with a ribbon logo. Around the same time, Dan encountered a fan with a tattoo of the “red devil” molecule, sparking the idea to include it in the “Heroes” uniform. The design process continued the following spring when the Van Horne Brands team met with the Lannings. The Lanning sons were given art supplies to sketch their ideas, leading to many of the personal details that now define the uniform.
“This is beyond what I would have envisioned for this whole series,” Sauphia said when the design concepts were presented to the family. “We’re just really honored and grateful for you guys, and we’re looking forward to it — I can’t wait to see it all really come to life, and everyone really represented.”
Sauphia’s original sketch included the phrase “Take Flight + Fight,” purposefully using a plus sign to evoke the cross symbol used internationally by healthcare providers. One sleeve of the uniform features a “Flight + Fight” patch, while the other displays a “Stomp Out Cancer” patch beneath an image of a bell – a symbol of triumph for cancer survivors who ring it to mark the end of their treatment.
Todd Van Horne highlighted other design elements, noting the wings and diamond plating on the shoulders. “The diamond plating representing that gritty, tough fight, and then the wings on top representing flight,” Quinn Van Horne elaborated.
Much of the “Heroes” uniform imagery will be available on merchandise for fans. A portion of the sales proceeds will be donated to the University of Oregon’s Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, further reflecting Sauphia Lanning’s desire to support the “heroes” in cancer research and treatment. “The medical staff was a big role in helping us get where we are,” she emphasized. “They were there the entire time, and so I do see them as heroes and I’m so glad (the designers) honored that and put that in there. I think that’s incredible.”
This special Oregon Ducks Duck Uniform serves as a powerful symbol of hope, resilience, and gratitude, uniting the team, fans, and the wider community in the fight against cancer.
