U of I student lives childhood dream of playing for Hawkeyes

Kelby Telander of North Liberty was born with hearing problems that worsened over time. Eventually, at the age of 3, he found out he was nearly deaf.

After many visits to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, doctors found a solution: a cochlear implant. This implant is a surgically implanted neuro-prosthesis that provides someone experiencing a hearing loss with sound perception and an opportunity – with therapy – for improved speech understanding in both quiet and noisy environments.

In short, Telander’s hearing was at 100% for the first time ever. He recalled hearing the sound of cars for the first time after leaving the hospital, the day of his surgery.

“Usually, I didn’t pick up on vehicles go by or background noises … but it was something I did for the first time so it was a huge step,” said Telander.

During this transformative time for Telander, the Iowa Hawkeyes made him one of their first Kid Captains in 2009. Telander returned to Iowa City last year as a walk-on freshman for the football team.