Kirk and Mary Ferentz to donate $1 million to University of Iowa Children's Hospital

On Wednesday, Kirk and Mary Ferentz announced they will donate $1 million dollars to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in an effort to bolster research into helping premature babies.

Both Ferentzes have long been involved in making the University a better place and this is just another example of it.

The program is called the Savvy Ferentz Program in Neonatal Research and has a heart wrenching history. Savvy Ferentz was one of the Kirk and Mary’s grandchildren who sadly passed away after being born at just 21 weeks.

“We knew Savvy was born too early,” Mary said in a release. “We also knew they do extraordinary things at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital that would give her a fighting chance. We were thankful we had that.”

Iowa is one of the best neonatal care providers anywhere in the United States and this gift will help further that.

The Ferentz’s philanthropy has always been done with genuine thought and feeling and should make anyone who supports Iowa proud to have a coach who does some really good things for the community in which he lives.

From Kid Captains to visits from players to the new Children’s Hospital overlooking Kinnick Stadium... there’s a genuine interest from the University and the people that work there to giving time, money, and effort to doing good things.

It’s always been something I’ve admired about Iowa and days like today remind me why I’m proud to be a Hawkeye.