Statewide, Iowa – An Iowa House subcommittee has advanced a bill to set up an annual appropriation of $3 million for pediatric cancer research in Iowa.
A group of parents were at the Capitol this past Wednesday urging lawmakers to pass the plan. Kristi Polonsky (poh-LAWN-skee) of Fairfield spoke on behalf of her son Jack, who died of cancer last July at the age of 15.
Isabelle Ireland of Sigourney was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer when she was 16-years-old and had a 10 percent chance of survival.
Ireland says it’s time for Iowa to join the fight against childhood cancer. Many of those who testified said more research is necessary because current treatments for childhood cancer are incredibly toxic and cause secondary cancers.
Scott Kass says his family spent six months at the Children’s Hospital in Iowa City in 2023 after his daughter Devyn was diagnosed with lukemia.
Devyn’s cancer is in remission and she was with her father at the Iowa Capitol this past Wednesday. John Foth of Des Moines donated stem cells last May for his younger sister, Ava, who was diagnosed with a therapy-related cancer early last year.
The bill that would provide state government funding for research of treatments for childhood cancers is eligible for a vote in the House Appropriations Committee next week.
KIWA Staff Photo
