Wheels are in motion to bring the “Combat to Cancer” program to Chickasaw County.
Public Health Administrator Lisa Welter says they will subcontract with Marion County Public Health in an effort to prevent cancer.
Welter says the program is in response to the growing rate of cancer in Iowa.
Underserved residents will be among those who will benefit from a variety of tools and education.
Welter says they’ll also be expanding their radon testing and mitigation efforts.
She adds that work continues to put all the pieces of Combat to Cancer into place, with Chickasaw County helping facilitate the program in Howard County as well.
Funding to support “Combat to Cancer” comes from the Healthy Hometowns – Iowa’s Rural Health Transformation Plan. This statewide initiative is receiving $200 million annually to support and improve rural healthcare across Iowa.
***More from Lisa Welter on Combat to Cancer Program***
Healthy Hometowns – Iowa’s Rural Health Transformation Plan
This statewide initiative is receiving $200 million annually to support and improve rural healthcare across Iowa. Multiple grant opportunities are being released through this funding, including the Combat Cancer program.
Marion County Public Health applied for and was approved as the project manager for this grant. They included other counties as subcontractors, and we have elected to participate. We will also do/were awarded to do Howard County. As a result, we will receive funding through this initiative. The first project period runs from March 20, 2026, through October 31, 2026.
Key components of the project include:
Telehealth Access: Tablets will be placed in each Iowa county (e.g., libraries or pharmacies) to allow residents to connect with healthcare providers for telehealth visits. We are working on finding a place in our county to place a tablet.
FIT Testing: At-home colorectal cancer screening tests will be distributed to up to 2,000 uninsured Iowans. Individuals with positive results will be eligible for a funded follow-up office visit.
Radon Testing & Mitigation:
30,000 free radon test kits will be distributed statewide.
500 households may qualify for up to $2,000 in radon mitigation assistance.
I have volunteered to serve on the committee that will review and determine mitigation funding recipients, which may position us for additional funding opportunities.
Radon Certification Training:
The program is seeking 28 individuals statewide to become certified radon specialists (testing and mitigation).
I have volunteered Derek to participate in this training, which would expand local access to this and may provide access to additional funding.
Dermatoscopes:
These tools assist providers in identifying potential skin cancers.
Dr. Brinkman has reported strong benefits from using this equipment at his clinic already.
Both the Nashua Clinic and MercyOne New Hampton Clinic have expressed interest. I have requested a dermatoscope for each location.
Regional Support Opportunities:
We have expressed willingness to support neighboring counties that are not participating, contingent on staffing capacity.
This aligns with the state’s public health system alignment goals and may provide additional funding opportunities, potentially with minimal additional workload (e.g., coordination and communication efforts).
Next Steps:
Marion County is currently working through 28E agreement approvals with the state. Educational materials and marketing templates are also being finalized. We are awaiting further guidance on implementation.
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