Children Deserve Answers: Demand Action on Pediatric Cancer

To the Iowa Governor, Iowa Legislature, and Iowa Department of Health and Human Services:

Our children are being diagnosed with cancer, and Iowa families deserve answers, accountability, and action.

No parent should have to hear the words, “Your child has cancer.” No child should have to spend their childhood enduring chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, and treatments that no adult should ever have to face.

Yet families across Iowa are living this nightmare.

We are calling on Iowa lawmakers to take pediatric cancer seriously and make it a public health priority.

We need more than awareness campaigns, ribbons, and statements of sympathy. We need legislation, funding, research, and meaningful action.

We are demanding:

A comprehensive investigation into pediatric cancer rates in Iowa, including long-term trends, geographic patterns, and potential cancer clusters.

Independent research into environmental risk factors, including agricultural chemicals, pesticides, drinking water contamination, industrial pollution, and other possible exposures. These factors deserve scientific investigation without assuming any single cause.

Increased state funding for pediatric cancer research, particularly aggressive, rare, and treatment-resistant childhood cancers.

Greater transparency in childhood cancer reporting, including accessible public data that allows communities to understand cancer trends while protecting children’s privacy.
Expanded financial and medical support for families, including assistance with travel, lodging, treatment-related expenses, and access to specialized pediatric oncology care

Legislative hearings focused specifically on pediatric cancer, allowing affected families, medical professionals, researchers, and public health experts to testify and demand solutions.

Childhood cancer is not simply a tragedy for individual families. It is a public health issue that deserves the attention of our elected officials

And I know we are not the only Iowa family living this reality.

Our children cannot advocate for themselves. They cannot stand before lawmakers and demand better research, safer environments, or more funding.

Iowa lawmakers: Our children deserve more than sympathy. They deserve action.

Sign this petition to demand that Iowa make pediatric cancer research, investigation, prevention, and family support a legislative priority.