DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said that she plans a multi-year commitment to find out why so many Iowans are getting diagnosed with cancer, how to treat those already battling cancer, and deliver more cancer prevention efforts to residents.
Reynolds has pledged to spend $50 million of a $209 million federal grant received for rural health care in the first year. She believes that the state will continue to receive federal funding, which will allow her to commit additional resources to the effort.
Her hope is that the state’s four-year commitment can total approximately $183 million.
Last year, the legislature funded her request to provide $1 million for cancer research.
Iowa has the second highest increase in new cancer cases and is the only state in the nation to have a rising cancer rate, according to the Iowa Cancer Consortium.
For Governor Reynolds, the cancer initiative is also personal. She announced in October 2023 that her husband, Kevin, had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Last year, she announced that her husband was in remission but will continue to receive treatment for the rest of his life.
Question: How has cancer impacted your family’s life?
Email Dave Price at dave.price@graymedia.com
About the author: Midwest native Dave Price is Gray Television’s Iowa Political Director for nine stations that broadcast in the state and has been covering local, state and national politics from Iowa since 2001.
Dave produces and hosts “Inside Iowa Politics,” a weekly, in-depth show focused on interviews with top leaders on politics, issues, challenges and solutions that impact the state.
He has written two books about the Iowa Caucuses (“Caucus Chaos” and “Caucus Chaos Trump”). Email him at dave.price@graymedia.com. Follow him on X (Twitter): @idaveprice Meta/Facebook: DavePriceNews Instagram: idaveprice and LinkedIn: Dave Price.
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