Brian Burkhardt is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Oliver Patch Project (OPP). His

journey to OPP has been marked by a diverse array of creative experiences, all culminating in

his current role.

In 2020, Brian's son, Oliver, was diagnosed with Leukemia during the peak of the pandemic.

Faced with the fear of Oliver's prognosis, Brian and his wife, Trisha, approached the diagnosis

with positivity and love. Early in Oliver’s treatment, Brian initiated a simple request on

Facebook for friends and family to "Send a Patch," encouraging Oliver to walk to the mailbox

daily. This call to action garnered over 2,000 patches within the first month alone. Brian began

sewing these patches onto Oliver’s jacket, transforming it into a symbolic suit of armor for his

journey. As Oliver opened patches and sent thank-you videos, he suggested, "Mom, Dad, we

should do this for other kids." This heartfelt moment sparked the beginning of their mission.

The Oliver Patch Project collaborates with artists globally to create a fun, free, and engaging

platform that aims to empower children battling cancer through the power of patches.

Currently operational in over 260 hospitals across all 50 states, OPP has reached thousands of

children, teenagers, and families. Oliver’s dream of extending this support to other children has

become a reality and remains Brian’s driving passion.

Driven by the vision to extend love and support to every child, teenager, and family

participating in clinical trials, the Oliver Patch Project recently launched its Global Clinical Patch

Support (Retention) Program. This initiative aims to unite participants in clinical trials, creating a

cohesive community irrespective of trial specifics or organizers. OPP endeavors to build a

comprehensive network that reassures every pediatric participant that they are not alone on

their journey.