Waves Rise – Hawkeye Tailgate for the Kids

On November 21, the Lovell Family will host Hawkeye Tailgate for the Kids at The Palm in Clear Lake, Iowa, bringing together Hawkeye football, community, and a cause incredibly close to our hearts. Proceeds from the event will support pediatric cancer research at the University of Iowa, including the work of Dr. Jessica Zimmerman, Adeline’s pediatric oncologist.

Our daughter, Adeline Lovell, was four years old when she was diagnosed with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in July 2022. For the next two and a half years, the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital became our second home.

Her journey brought plenty of hard days, including a severe anaphylactic reaction to one of her chemotherapy drugs that required an alternative treatment and even more time in Iowa City. But somehow, there was also so much joy along the way.

There was The Wave. Meeting Caitlin Clark. Glorifying God on stage at a Rend Collective concert. And eventually, an incredible full-circle moment when the little girl who had once waved from the hospital windows became an Iowa Football Kid Captain, standing inside Kinnick Stadium and waving back.

In November 2024, after two and a half years of treatment, Adeline finished chemotherapy.

Our family will never forget the doctors, nurses, and staff who helped get her there. In February 2026, we shared our story in Waves Rise: A Mother’s Story of Childhood Cancer and Unshakeable Faith. Now, this tailgate is another opportunity to give back and help fund the research that gives children like Adeline more tomorrows.

The event will feature Dr. Jessica Zimmerman, Adeline’s pediatric oncologist; Regent Steve Lacy of the Iowa Board of Regents; and the Lovell family, sharing more about Adeline’s journey and the importance of pediatric cancer research.

All proceeds from Hawkeye Tailgate for the Kids will support Dr. Zimmerman’s pediatric cancer research through the Pediatric Leukemia Research Fund at UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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