Iowa House panel advances bill to fund pediatric cancer research

Iowa House lawmakers thanked the patients and families driving the push for pediatric cancer research funding Wednesday as an appropriations subcommittee approved legislation to provide millions to the cause.

Isabelle Ireland, a recent University of Iowa graduate who, at 16, was diagnosed with “an extremely rare form of ovarian cancer,” told subcommittee members she had just a 10% chance of survival. Her family had to sacrifice to get Ireland the treatments she said saved her life, adding she is “incredibly grateful to live each and every day.”

“The treatment plans that were in place were only created a couple years before I was diagnosed,” Ireland said. “So if it wasn’t for research and just medical leaders in other states who were able to give that information to our state, I would not be standing here today, and I want to ensure that that is not a sacrifice and a fight that other families have to put up.”

House File 2310 would create a standing appropriation of $1 for every Iowan, capped at $3 million, to go to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for pediatric cancer research, including lab work and clinical trials.

The legislation has seen support from lawmakers as it made its way through an Iowa House subcommittee and the higher education committee. Lobbyists for the Iowa Medical Society, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Iowa Board of Regents all expressed support for the bill as well during its appropriations subcommittee meeting.

Scott Kaas, whose daughter was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2023 at just 7 months old and is now in remission, reiterated points he’s made throughout the legislative process that the same treatment his daughter received was what her great-great-uncle received more than two decades ago.

“When you think about an 81-year-old man and a 7-month-old baby getting the same exact treatment — if any one of us in this room would be diagnosed with AML today, we’d get the same treatment,” Kaas said. “We need research to make differences and changes.”

Rep. Ryan Weldon, R-Ankeny, chaired the subcommittee and was joined by Rep. David Blom, R-Marshalltown, and Rep. Megan Srinivas, D-Des Moines. Each shared their support for the legislation and their gratitude to the families using their lives and experiences to elevate the need for more research into pediatric cancers.

“It’s really taken your voices to share some of the lowest moments in your life to get us to this point, and if we can do something to help either your families or somebody else out, I’m all for it,” Srinivas said.

The bill moves next to the full House Appropriations Committee.