Program to honor pediatric patients at Hawkeye games

Childhood illness is never fun, but a contest at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital promises a good time for several patients.

Parents or guardians of patients or former patients at UI Children's Hospital can nominate their child for a chance to take the field with the Iowa Hawkeyes to be a “Kid Captain.”

Winners will receive tickets to an Iowa Hawkeye home football game and will be an honored guest for the pre-game coin toss at midfield.

UI Children's Hospital, where more than 5,000 children are hospitalized every year, is looking for stories of hope and inspiration.

The new program will honor pediatric patients with those inspirational stories.

Twelve children total will be chosen for the seven home and five

away games.

Children selected as a Kid Captain will attend one of the home Iowa football games.

Honorary Kid Captains will be honored at, but won't attend, an Iowa away game.

Entries must be received by Aug. 16. Only parents or legal guardians may submit a child's story. There is no cost to enter.

Children must be a current or former patient of UI Children's Hospital and age 18 or under as of December 2009.

Nominations must be submitted online only at: www.uihealthcare.com/children