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 Office of Rural Health was connecting with individuals and organizations across the state to work on issues affecting the health of rural Iowans. I have been able to continue this work by serving on the board of directors for the Iowa Rural Health Association.

Rural health is close to my heart. I was born in a small town in southeast Iowa and grew up in a rural community in central Iowa. I experienced first-hand the access issues around cancer care when my grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1997. He and my grandmother traveled over two hours round trip for his treatments several times a week. I also have an uncle who was a rural family practice physician. I learned from him how important it is to have care available close to home. Access to care and community support services for all Iowans and the rural healthcare workforce are the issues that drive me to work in the rural healthcare space.

I enjoy working collaboratively. In my experience, working together provides a synergistic energy that opens up new ideas to address challenging issues like cancer care. I look forward to working with the Consortium’s Rural Cancer Workgroup and other key partners to engage in conversations around rural cancer care support opportunities.