WINTERSET, Iowa — University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital has partnered with the Iowa Hawkeyes for its Kid Captain program since 2009. As a Kid Captain children who have received medical care at the hospital can meet the team and get on the field during home games.

Chloe Dinkla is one of the 2023 Kids Captains. Chloe is 11 years old and has been receiving care from the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital since she was two.

Megan Dinkla, Chloe’s mother, said that they realized Chloe needed medical treatment when the Dinklas adopted her.

“We adopted Chloe, we actually flew to China and adopted her when she was two years old.   When we got to China we realized she was almost two and could hardly sit up on her own. So we right away knew something was going on. we brought her back home and took her to our pediatrician, who recommended we go have her seen at University of Iowa hospitals,” Megan said.

Kid Captains get to choose the song that plays during The Wave to the Children’s Hospital during home games at Kinnick Stadium.

“They have a family day in August where we got to go up on the field meet the players, meet the coaches. We got to go watch them do their scrimmage. They did a video shoot kind of telling Chloe’s story where they interviewed her. And then for the game day, they got to pick the song that they do for The Wave at the first quarter of the game, and she chose ‘This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman which is perfect for her, she’s so brave,” Megan said.

“I chose ‘This Is Me’ because anytime I’m like going to an appointment or like surgery, I like to sing that song in my head,” said Chloe.

To learn more about Chloe’s story or the Kid Captain program, visit the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital’s website.