Cancer care closer to home: Ringgold County Hospital pursues grant funds
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By Dalton Shadle
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — A two-part story that appeared in the Mount Ayr Record News last fall discussing the increasing cancer rates that are affecting Iowa as a whole.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds once again addressed the topic during her 2026 Condition of the State Address on January 13. Reynolds explained what acts the state is taking against cancer.
Last year the governor directed Iowa HHS to partner with the University of Iowa College of Public Health to begin “the most comprehensive study of cancer ever undertaken in our state.”
In the meeting, grants and investments were discussed on the topic of cancer. The Healthy Hometowns grant, of which one was awarded to Ringgold County Hospital, which is part of Iowa’s innovative plan to strengthen rural health care. The grants total of $209 million were split between multiple rural hospitals for year one as part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program.
In this year, more than $50 million will be invested in cancer prevention, screening, and treatment with Gov. Reynolds stating “we expect it to grow to $183 million over four years.”
Through the Healthy Hometowns Initiative the governor stated that there will be plans to make a hub-and-spoke model by creating satellite clinics in outlying communities, where patients can get routine cancer care.
Ringgold County Hospital CEO Nicholle Gilbertson said the hospital is looking to be a part of the model to bring cancer care closer to home.
“Cancer continues to affect far too many families across Iowa, and rural communities often face additional barriers when it comes to screening, treatment and support,” Gilbertson said in an email to the Record News. “At Ringgold County Hospital, we are committed to expanding access to cancer resources for our community.”
According to Gilbertson, the hospital is currently pursuing the state of Iowa’s new Cancer Hub and Spoke grant opportunity.
“(It) would allow us to engage in partnerships with larger cancer centers and bring more screening, education and care coordination services closer to home,” Gilbertson said. “Our goal is to ensure that people in rural Iowa have access to the support and care they need without having to travel far from their community.”
The hub-and-spoke model expands upon the stats proven Centers of Excellence program.
The meeting also covered topics such as childhood obesity and with Iowa ranking 17th in the nation for adult obesity the state is moving towards healthy alternatives with food assistance programs such as SNAP and EBTstating.
With USDA’s approval, SNAP and Summer EBT in Iowa will help families purchase fresh produce, grains, meat, and dairy — but candy, sweets and soft drinks are no longer covered, according to the governor.
Iowa is one of the first states to make this change with two federal food assistance programs.
