Blog

A Mom’s Fight from the Inside Out

Written by Angela Webb  My world changed last March 2025, when I was just 42 years old. I thought that the doctor was bringing me a Sprite after my first colonoscopy, but he brought me a cancer diagnosis instead.   I had been having symptoms of constipation and diarrhea for a while, but these symptoms kept getting explained away as side effects of motherhood or the medications…

Women’s Health, Cancer Prevention, and the Heart of Iowa

Written by Kaylara Hoadley, CMA (AAMA), Member of Iowa Cancer Consortium  Every March, Women’s History Month invites us to reflect on the strength, resilience, and leadership of women.  In Iowa, one of the most meaningful ways to honor that history is by talking honestly about women’s health and cancer prevention.  I have worked as a certified medical…

Post-funnel update: Cancer control and the 2026 Iowa legislative session

Updated: February 24, 2026 This past Friday, February 20th, was the first Iowa legislative “funnel” deadline of the 2026 session. Most bills must get a majority of votes in a full committee in either the House or the Senate by this date in order to remain viable. Below is a list of bills related to cancer control…

Cancer Caregiving: Recognizing the Work That Continues

By Kathy Koenig, M.S., Grief Educator & Caregiver Consultant, Richard Deming Cancer Center   “I can picture the moment. Life had changed forever. There were big fears of the unknown, and I started telling myself a story while also looking for people to fill in the gaps. What happens now? Answers weren’t forthcoming.”   I’ve heard versions of this moment from caregivers many times. The diagnosis…

Caring for Siblings is Caring for Childhood Cancer

By Mark Rheaume February 15. Some calendars will call it “International Childhood Cancer Day.” My own calendar reminds me that in ten days, my brother will have been dead for a year. Matthew died of cancer. He had it as a child, as a young man, and through most of his 36th year. I admit,…

Cancer control in the 2026 Iowa legislative session: an early round-up!

Published: January 20, 2026 Dear Iowa Cancer Consortium members and partners,  Happy New Year! We are a little over a week into the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session, and it will likely be a busy one for cancer control advocates. This is the second year of the 91st General Assembly, which means that many bills introduced…

Keeping Volunteer Firefighters Safe from Cancer: A Father/Daughter Conversation 

Written by: Rachel Schramm, Program Manager, Iowa Cancer Consortium & Dan Neenan, Director, National Education Center for Agricultural Safety  Introduction  Iowa’s volunteer fire departments are tasked with protecting Iowa’s smaller and rural communities. Of approximately 850 fire departments across the state, about 92% are volunteer fire departments. When I was just about to enter Kindergarten, our family moved to Epworth, Iowa – a small town located in northeast Iowa (population 1,300). Shortly…

From Palliation to Prevention: The Role of Pharmacists in Reducing Cervical Cancer Burden in Iowa

Written by: Lorin Fisher, PharmD, BCACP | Clinical Assistant Professor, The University of Iowa College of Pharmacy  As a pharmacist practicing in a palliative care clinic, I routinely care for individuals living with cancer and its complications. Approximately 80% of the patients I see in clinical practice are affected by some form of malignancy, and my…

2025: A Year in Review

As we close out 2025, we celebrate the resilience and dedication that defined this year. Our collective work in cancer prevention and control continues to save lives and strengthen communities. And these experiences serve as a powerful reminder of how critical state-level collaboration and advocacy are to sustain progress against cancer.    Highlights & Achievements …

New Self-Collection HPV Screening Options

Written by: Alexa Stallings, Academic Research Assistant in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at the University of Iowa College of Public Health Screening for cervical cancer is now easier than ever. Traditionally, cervical cancer screening options have included a Pap smear or a clinician-collected Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) test. However, two new self-collection…