When Matt Campbell arrived in Ames as Iowa State University's head football coach, he didn’t know he'd soon become the “best friend” of a little blonde girl with cystic fibrosis.
Campbell met then-three-year-old Charlotte “Charlie” Hugunin of Norwalk, in his first year on the ISU campus. She'd been battling cystic fibrosis since the day she was born.
Heartbroken by the diagnosis, Charlie’s “Nana,” Lynn Moore of Kelley, immediately focused her energy on finding a cure.
Moore’s organization, Charlie’s Angels, has now raised nearly $300,000 for CF research.
Coach Campbell has been a key player in one of Charlie’s Angels’ main fundraisers, a luncheon at which he speaks, answers questions from Cyclone fans and autographs memorabilia.
This year’s Lunch with Coach Campbell event will be held Wednesday, July 24 at the Sukup Endzone Club at Jack Trice Stadium. Doors open at 11 a.m., followed by lunch at approximately 11:30.
The Lincoln Center Hy-Vee is providing the lunch at no cost to Charlie’s Angels for the seventh year.
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Campbell: 'To see the purpose was powerful'
At 2023's lunch, Campbell talked about the first year the event was held. It started small, he said and had tripled in size by the following year.
“The event is great, but to see the purpose was powerful,” Campbell said during last year’s Q&A. “They’re making progress in finding a cure. You’re seeing life expectancy go up a year every year right now. The power of purpose — that is powerful. … That’s the human spirit. That’s life.”
Campbell is a hero in Charlie’s eyes, but he’s quick to turn the attention back to his young friend.
“What I do is coach a sport. You, Charlie, are the superhero,” he told her during his speech in 2023. “Who you are becoming in your life is why we are all here, and we all get to fight to make a difference in your life.”
Campbell said the luncheon is a special way to start the football season.
“I can see how this family has rallied for a cause,” he said. They have a “powerful impact on the lives of a lot of people.”
Funds raised by Charlie’s Angels at the luncheon and other events will benefit the research for a cure at the Pappajohn Biomedical Facility located in Iowa City.
Charlie: ‘You’ll never see me quit’
Now 10 years old, Charlie does a little speaking at the event, too.
“You may see me struggle,” she said, “But you will never see me quit.”
Charlie is the daughter of Tim and Jenny Hugunin and sister of Alexandra Hugunin. She struggles with lung and digestive issues.
“*(Charlie) is a talented, active person with a heart of gold and caring attitude,” Moore said.
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Special teams for a special kid
The NIL arm of Iowa State University, the We Will Collective, has arranged for the Cyclones’ special teams to attend next week's lunch. ISU kickers, long snappers, and punters will demonstrate and interact with the children.
Special gift bags will be given to the children in attendance.
Also, there will be prize drawings for ISU-branded items, as well as live and silent auctions.
Guests are asked to bring pajamas sized 4T through teenage years for Christmas in July. Charlie's Angels will gift the pajamas to Blank Children’s Hospital as its annual donation.
The luncheon costs $50 per person; children 12 and under can attend and eat for free with an accompanying adult.
Coach Campbell will be available for photos and autographs at the end of the luncheon.
Register online at passion.cff.org/lunch-with-coach-matt-campbell .
Ames Tribune reporter Ronna Faaborg can be reached at rfaaborg@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Power of purpose: 'Lunch with Coach Matt Campbell' event benefits cystic fibrosis research
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