Blog

Request for Proposals (RFP): FY25 Strategic Planning

Download the RFP PDF The Iowa Cancer Consortium needs a new strategic plan and seeks an individual or organization to collaboratively facilitate the plan’s development. The budget for this project is $7,000. About the Iowa Cancer Consortium The Iowa Cancer Consortium (the Consortium) is Iowa’s statewide coalition of more than 650 members working together to…

New Iowa Cancer Consortium Board Members Aim to Use Their Passions to Help Reduce Iowa’s Growing Cancer Rates

CORALVILLE, IA – July 11, 2024 – The Iowa Cancer Consortium is pleased to announce the addition of two new board members, Morgan Newman, MSW (Norwalk, IA) and Devon Gurnett, MSOM (Des Moines, IA). With Iowa second-in-the-nation for cancer incidence rates for the second year in a row (behind only Kentucky), the Iowa Cancer Consortium…

Parkinson’s Disease and Cancer: What’s the Connection?

Written by: Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, American Parkinson Disease Association Researchers have long tried to understand the relationship between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and cancer, with multiple studies conducted over the years. Intuitively, PD and cancer are not at all similar, and can even be thought of as biochemically opposite –…

Childhood Cancer Data Initiative: A Mother’s Perspective

By Natalie Steuer Childhood cancer is a complex issue impacting many families in Iowa. While great progress has been made in treating children with cancer nationally, the research momentum has been limited for many forms of childhood cancer. In the 1970’s, just over 50% of children diagnosed with cancer could expect to survive 5 years…

Mental Health & Cancer: Implications and Strategies for Comprehensive Care

By: Mona McCalley-Whitters, PhD A cancer diagnosis is a life-changing experience, bringing forth a range of emotions from fear and anxiety to depression. Such mental stressors can directly impact a patient’s quality of life, their adherence to treatment, and even survival rates (National Cancer Institute). An Overview: Stress & Cancer Stress describes what people experience…

Iowa Cancer Consortium 2023 Annual Report

According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, Iowa’s cancer incidence rate grew faster than any other state from 2016 to 2020, and Iowa continues to have the second-highest overall cancer incidence in the United States (source: 2024 Cancer in Iowa Report). The call to work together is greater than ever before. In 2024, an estimated 21,000…

Iowa Cancer Consortium Creates Resource to Connect Iowans with Cancer Clinical Trials

CORALVILLE, IA – April 8, 2024 – Partners across the state are working together to ensure that there is one resource for Iowans to locate and find information about cancer clinical trials in the state. Clinical trials are research studies that identify the best ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer. While many trials exist…

Free Transportation to Cancer Treatments: American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery® Program

Written by: Liz Orton, Iowa Cancer Consortium When someone is diagnosed with cancer, they may experience a multitude of concerns. Will I be okay? How will I pay for my treatment? Can I take the necessary time off of work for my treatment plan? What side effects will I have? How will this affect my…

Meet Megan Hartwig, Rural Community Outreach Coordinator

Hello, I’m Megan Hartwig, and I’m excited to be a part of the Iowa Cancer Consortium team as the Rural Community Outreach Coordinator. I have a healthcare administration and public health background and served as the State Office of Rural Health director. One of the things I enjoyed the most while working at the State…

Meet Delaney Robinson, Practicum Student

Hello! My name is Delaney Robinson, and I am currently completing my practicum experience at the Iowa Cancer Consortium! For my project, I will be assisting with the Annual Redesign of the 2023-2027 Iowa Cancer Plan by developing new and updating existing components of the plan. I am very excited to be working with such…