Saturday's 'Kid Captain': Jack Koehn

Sept. 4, 2009

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• Editor’s Note: The UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the UI Hospitals and Clinics have worked as partners for several years. That partnership moves to another level this fall with the introduction of the “Kid Captain” program, a program that provides young boys and girls that share two things in common: A life-changing experience as a patient at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital and a love of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Go Hawks!

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Thirteen-year-old Jack Koehn of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, is a huge Hawkeye fan. He’s hardly alone in his love for all things Hawkeye, but for Jack there is a special meaning: he wouldn’t be in the game at all except for UI Children’s Hospital.

Julie Ruden, Jack’s mother, was referred to UI Children’s Hospital by her physician, Dr. Jerry Rozeboom, after prenatal tests showed the baby was hydrocephalic, which causes brain damage due to build-up of fluid on the brain. After more research and discussion, the decision was made to have a shunt surgically placed right after his birth to drain the fluid and to relieve the pressure. Months before Jack’s birth, they met with the head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UI Children’s Hospital where Jack would be cared for after birth and surgery and, “We immediately felt comforted knowing he would be in good hands.”

Right after he was born, Jack was also found to have a severe form of hemophilia, where the blood has trouble clotting. Surgery can be especially difficult under these circumstances, but when he was six days old Jack successfully underwent surgery to place a shunt. As he has grown, Jack has undergone five additional shunt replacements, had a port placed in order to give him his hemophilia medicine three days a week, and has endured numerous hospitalizations for infections.

“UI Children’s Hospital is an amazing place! There are some of the most knowledgeable doctors in the world at this facility. The hemophilia center is outstanding – not only in caring for Jack, but helping him learn how to manage his condition.”

With all this, the eighth grader at Mr. Vernon Middle School is a “regular” in pediatric neurosurgery, endocrinology, the hemophilia clinic, and dentistry at UI Children’s Hospital. But, rather than dreading doctor’s visits, he feels safe there. In fact, his mother adds, “Jack recently told me that he thinks the doctors and nurses are so good that he never wants to move very far away in case he needs them. He also says that he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”

Life may have thrown him curve calls, but Jack is very much in the game of his life. As his proud mother puts it, “Jack is smart, kind, patient, and has many friends.” The pressure on Jack’s brain before he was born caused some damage to the part of his brain that affects motor skills, and combined with his hemophilia, playing sports will never be an option. Instead, he’s channeling his energy and creativity into music, including playing drums in his school band.

Jack may be sidelined, but he’s right there with Julie and his stepfather, Nick Ruden, cheering on his brother Austin, 9; stepsister, Ashley 13; and stepbrother, Cody 15; who are all active in sports. Jack has also developed a love of fishing, which he does regularly with his dad, Jim Koehn.

And, of course, there will always be the Hawkeyes. “At one time, I didn’t even think Jack was going to be able to walk, so for him to walk out on the field at Kinnick Stadium will be something he will remember forever!”

Today, Jack Koehn takes the field as Kid Captain of the Iowa Hawkeyes.