How can policymakers help reduce Iowa’s cancer rates?
To help reduce Iowa's cancer rates, the government will need to take action. We’ve got some ideas on where to start.
Sep
2025
24
CANCER IN IOWA
Sep
2025
17
Iowa leads the nation in binge drinking—and faces higher cancer risks from alcohol
Iowa is fourth in the nation for rates of alcohol-related cancers, and highest in the Midwest.
Sep
2025
11
What you can do to reduce your cancer risk: The big six for Iowans
It is possible to reduce your risk of cancer. Iowa health experts share more.
Sep
2025
3
Radon exposure is fueling Iowa’s deadliest cancer
Iowa has the highest radon levels in the nation, and doctors say the gas is causing hundreds of lung cancer deaths every year.
Aug
2025
27
Under the Iowa sun: The work that drives the state’s high skin cancer rates
Iowa has the fifth-highest rate of skin cancer in the country, with numbers similar to states with far more UV radiation levels. This week on The Hot Spot, we look into the forces impacting our cancer rate.
Aug
2025
22
WATCH: What can you do about cancer (w/ Dr. Richard Deming) – Cornhole Champions Interview
Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in America, and Dr. Richard Deming has been fighting this crisis for four decades. In this powerful conversation, Iowa's leading oncologist reveals what you can actually do about it.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, we explore the mortality wake-up call that cancer brings and the simple---though not easy---steps that could save thousands of lives.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Iowa's Cancer Crisis: Why We're Second in America
05:30 The Mortality Wake-Up Call: Cancer Changes Everything
12:00 From Navy Diver to Cancer Fighter: An Unlikely Journey
20:00 Why Screening Saves Lives (But Can Also Harm)
28:00 Iowa's Two Big Problems: Radon and Farm Chemicals
34:00 The 45% Solution: What We Already Know Works
36:30 Why Smoking Is Still Cancer's Biggest Killer
42:00 Healthcare Access: The Hidden Cancer Crisis
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Aug
2025
20
Facing cancer in Iowa: Patients share their stories
Cancer in Iowa isn’t just about treatment—it’s about surviving the system, asking why it happened, and living with the aftermath. Five Iowans share their stories.
Aug
2025
13
WATCH: Iowa cancer research funding cut by $33 million under Trump (PT 3) – Cornhole Champions #35
Iowa faces the nation's worst cancer crisis, and now federal funding cuts are shaking up promising research. The Trump administration has slashed over $33 million in cancer research funding at the University of Iowa alone.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker explore how these cuts are devastating cancer research when Iowa needs it most.
Toss some bags at Iowa DOGE's pension grab... Josh Turek's Senate bid... And how cancer research cuts are shutting down labs across Iowa...
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Iowa's Cancer Crisis Gets Worse with Funding Cuts
01:30 The "Golden Halo": When Patients Invent Their Own Cures
03:30 $33 Million Cut from University of Iowa Cancer Research
04:00 Only 4% of New Cancer Research Proposals Get Funded
05:30 Why Private Funding Can't Replace Public Research
07:30 Young Researchers Forced Out of Cancer Research
08:00 Eli Lilly Recruiting Laid-Off Government Researchers
08:30 Why Cancer Can't Wait for Budget Convenience
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Aug
2025
13
The future of cancer research in Iowa is uncertain—and lives are on the line
Iowa cancer patients are desperate for better screenings, treatments, and cures. Researchers are desperate to find them. So what's the holdup?
Aug
2025
6
WATCH: 🌽 53 million pounds of pesticides: Iowa’s cancer crisis (PT 2) – Cornhole Champions #34
53 million pounds. That's how much pesticide gets sprayed across Iowa every year—more than any other state in the country. With Iowa having the second-highest and fastest-growing cancer rates in America, the science is connecting some uncomfortable dots between what's in our fields and what's happening to our neighbors.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith breaks down his investigative reporting on Iowa's massive pesticide problem. From the Agricultural Health Study tracking 89,000 farming families since 1993 to the "gray zone" between cutting-edge science and outdated regulations, we explore why 17 pounds of pesticides are applied for every single Iowan.
This reporting is part of Iowa Starting Line's investigative series "The Hotspot"—sign up for the newsletter to get these deep dives straight to your inbox. https://iowastartingline-com.couriernue2stg.wpengine.com/cancer-in-iowa/
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by Zachary Oren Smith and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Iowa's Staggering Pesticide Problem: 53 Million Pounds Annually
01:30 - Iowa's Cancer Crisis: Second Highest Rates in America
02:30 - 17 Pounds of Pesticides Applied Per Iowa Resident
04:30 - Agricultural Health Study: 89,000 Families Since 1993
06:30 - The "Cancer Gag Act" vs. EPA Approval Controversy
07:30 - The "Gray Zone" Between Science and Policy
10:30 - Company-Funded Studies vs. Independent Research
12:30 - Don Carpenter's Story: Real People, Real Impact
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