A new set of current and former University of Iowa Children’s Hospital patients will soon don the title of Kid Captain.

In all, 14 kids will get a chance to shine on game day during the Hawkeyes’ 2013 football season as they serve as this year’s Kid Captains.

The announcement was made in a Wednesday news release.

The 5-year-old Kid Captain program is a partnership between UI Childrens Hospital and the Iowa Hawkeyes to honor Children’s Hospital patients while celebrating their recovery periods.

“It brings us all great joy to highlight each of our Kid Captains every year. These remarkable youngsters are an inspiration to us all,” UI Professor Raphael Hirsch, the physician in chief of the Children’s Hospital said in the release. “Each of these patients and their families are portraits of courage and determination with stories of strength and perseverance.

“On behalf of the entire pediatric-health-care team, I’d like to say ‘Congratulations’ to this year’s Kid Captains. A special ‘thank you’ is also in order for the patients’ families for letting us share their remarkable stories,” Hirsch said.

All Kid Captains and their families will be invited to Kids Day at Kinnick Stadium in August for a special behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities, and each child’s story will be highlighted during the football season.

Many kids have also taken part in the UI’s largest student organization, Dance Marathon, appearing at the Big Event each winter.

Selection of the 2013 Kid Captains came about from a 12-person multidisciplinary committee of clinical care and professional staff.

Children selected as Kid Captains for the 2013 home games are:

Children selected as honorary Kid Captains for away games are: