Our Lift Them Up Cart

On any given game day, thousands of University of Kentucky Football fans decked out in blue fill Kroger Field. But for some young Wildcat fans, attending a game and cheering on the Cats can be challenging.

Enter our Lift Them Up pushcart. Built through a partnership between UK Athletics, UK College of Engineering, UK HealthCare and Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky, this machine brings a patient of Kentucky Children’s Hospital to every UK football home game.

The challenge was to construct a cart with exciting bells and whistles that would also be safe for a child battling a health condition. The design team, which included then UK football player Luke Fortner, spent countless hours conducting research to assess the wants and needs of honorees. The result? A one-of-a-kind vehicle that reflects design elements found inside the hospital. 

The cart debuted in August 2018 and continues to bring joy not only to our youngest patients, but all the players, staff and fans who get to see them smile on game days.

"Life is a constant battle, and how they persevere through difficult times is kind of what shapes them for the rest of their lives," UK Football head coach Mark Stoops said. “We can all learn a thing or two from these kids on how to never give up.”