Captivated By Child Life is extremely excited to share with you a second guest blog, this one about the Hawkeye Wave that has captured the hearts of many since its debut in 2017. Melanie Willis is a graduate student at The University of Iowa in their Child Life Masters program. She will graduate this coming spring in 2019 after completing her clinical Child Life internship at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. Through her work as a student in the Child Life program, and due to her many hours of volunteering, Melanie was selected to be a Child Life Student Assistant at The University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. It is through this job role that Melanie engages with patients and their families and facilitates group activities, one of which is the Hawkeye Wave Tailgate in the hospital's Press Box on the 12th floor! This is her unique perspective on this new college football tradition that has inspired sports fans across the country.
One of the group activities that I have had the opportunity to help facilitate has been the Hawkeye Wave Tailgate on the 12th floor of the hospital inside the “Press Box.” In fact, I was there for the very first wave back in September of 2017. If you aren’t familiar, The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is located across the street from Kinnick Stadium. Each home game, the crowd, players, referees, and everyone else in attendance turn their heads at the end of the first quarter to wave at the children in the hospital that day. What they don’t know, is what’s happening in the Press Box inside of the hospital. About one minute before the end of the first quarter, we encourage all of the children in the room to get as close as they can to the window (for some, this means literally putting their face on the window!) If a child doesn’t already have a large foam hand to wave back with, we make a quick run around to hand out more of those. Then, the room gets absolutely silent as we wait to hear the announcer say that it’s time to wave.
As soon as it begins, the children's faces light up. Moms are holding back tears, or aren’t- which is fine too! Strangers in the room bond over the magical moment of everyone in unity celebrating the children in that hospital. It’s just as moving from inside the hospital as it is from Kinnick, I have been at both and I promise the energy is amazing both places! For the very first wave last year, we didn’t really know what to expect. We assumed there would be a lot of people and excitement, but it completely surprised us with how big it got!
After the first wave got press, we began receiving a lot of donations for the tailgate. From binoculars, to T-shirt’s, to footballs, handmade cards, we even received a box of 1,000 paper hands waving! The opposing football teams have even been kind enough to donate things for the children on the week of their game. This tradition really has brought people together and allows patients and families to say, “We wish we weren’t in the hospital- but at least we have something to look forward to on Saturday!” Having this experience at The University of Iowa has allowed me to see how important Child Life and group activities can be for patients inside of the hospital. I just worked my last game from inside the hospital, as I will be heading off to my internship soon, and I can’t wait to continue to return to the tradition from inside Kinnick Stadium!
-Melanie Willis
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