CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Iowa Hawkeyes are honoring a young girl from Cedar Rapids this weekend. Seven-year-old Gwendolyn Clouse will be celebrated as the Hawkeye Kid Captain during the game against the University of Massachusetts.

Gwendolyn was born with a rare metabolic condition that affects nearly every system in her body. Her parents were initially told she might not live past her first birthday. However, with the dedicated care of doctors and staff at the Stead Family Children's Hospital, Gwendolyn continues to defy the odds.

Gwendolyn's father, Phillip Clouse, shared his perspective. "We're blessed in the fact that she has emotions because a lot of kids who have such severe disabilities sometimes don't react to pain and don't cry and don't laugh," he said.

The Clouse family hopes

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