Through a National Cancer Institute P30 Supplement grant, the Community Outreach and Engagement team is partnering with the Iowa Cancer Consortium and Black community members from Black Hawk County to build relationships and reduce cancer disparities. 

Check out our case study: https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/Holden_Case_Study.pdf

Five steering committee members meet monthly to build relationships and discuss cancer-related issues and community-specific data. The committee has identified several areas of interest, including racism and disparities in healthcare, prostate cancer screening rates, and cluster investigations. The steering committee has expressed a desire for action and hopes its work will help reduce health care disparities in our state.

Black Hawk County Cancer Steering Committee Members

• Tiffie Greer
• Georgia Hodge
• Lischelle Oliver
• Bridget Saffold
• Miriam Tyson

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the top four cancers in Iowa for both new cases and deaths. Rates are rising among younger Iowans, and significant disparities exist by race and between rural and urban communities. 

The Holden Community Outreach and Engagement team is hosting a virtual series that brings together Holden experts and key partners from across Iowa. These sessions create space to:

1. Strengthen relationships between Holden and statewide partners,
2. Share and deepen understanding of each other’s CRC work, and
3. Collaboratively shape a research and action plan for Iowa.

Each session includes short presentations (10 minutes each) from a Holden researcher/clinician and a state partner, followed by 40 minutes of interactive discussion. Couldn't attend live? Recorded sessions are available below.

View: A snapshot of colorectal cancer data and state screening programs in Iowa

Jeanna Jones, BS, RT, Screening Promotion Coordinator, Iowa Department of Health

Sarah Nash, PhD, MPH, University of Iowa College of Public Health

View: Colorectal Cancer Screening in Iowa

Alexander Dresden, DO, PGY-3 Resident, UIHC Department of Family Medicine
Devon Gurnett, MSOM, Program Manager, Iowa Primary Care Association

View: Key Takeaways from the American Cancer Society National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable

Victoria Brenton, MPH, Colorectal Reporting & Coordinating Manager, Iowa Department of Health & Human Services

Kristina Guyton, MD, Colorectal Surgeon, UIHC Department of Surgery

View: Fecal immunochemical tests: Innovative research & outreach efforts across Iowa

Barcey Levy, MD, PhD, Physician & Professor, Iowa Academy of Family Physicians Endowed Chair in Rural Medicine, UIHC Department of Family Medicine
Teresa Pangan, PhD, RDN, Prevention & Wellness Strategist for Cancer and Heart, UnityPoint Health – Trinity

View: Early-onset colorectal cancer

Mayin Lin, DO, MPH Colorectal Surgeon, MercyOne Des Moines Surgical Group

Sarah Nash, PhD, MPH, University of Iowa College of Public Health

View: Genetic Counseling

Madeline VanDerGraaf, MS, LGC Licensed Genetic Counselor, University of Iowa Health Care
Lauren Seemann, MS, LGC Licensed Genetic Counselor, Mission Cancer + Blood

View: Patients' Difficulties with 5 Different Fecal Immunochemical Tests and Screening Efforts at Proteus

Jeanette Daly, RN, PhD, Research Scientist, Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa Health Care
Daniel Zinnel, EdD, Chief Executive Officer, Proteus, Inc.

View: Clinical Trials

Saima Sharif, MD, MS, GI Oncologist, Medical Director for Solid Tumor Medical Oncology, University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and University of Iowa Health Care
Shannon Benson, RN, MSN, Director of Clinical Trials, Mission Cancer + Blood

View: Rectal Cancer

Irena Gribovskaja-Rupp, MD, FACS, FASCRS Colorectal Surgeon from University of Iowa Health Care
Shankar Raman, MD, Colorectal Surgeon, MercyOne Des Moines

View: Screening & Diagnostic Colonoscopies

David Elliott, MD, PhD, Gastroenterologist and Director, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Iowa Health Care
Michael Page, MD, Colorectal Surgeon, Iowa Digestive Disease Center

View: Best Practice to Encourage CRC Screening & CRC

Sarah Short, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine-Hematology, University of Iowa
Sharon Duclos, MD, Co-Medical Director, Peoples Community Health Clinic

The National Cancer Institute defines a cancer survivor as “an individual from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life.” Survivorship is not just about overcoming cancer—it’s about navigating the entire journey, from diagnosis and treatment to life after treatment, with the care, resources, and advocacy needed to ensure the best possible quality of life.

In Iowa, cancer incidence rates are rising while mortality rates are declining. This means more Iowans are living as survivors—creating both opportunities and challenges for long-term support. Recognizing this, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center has made cancer survivorship a priority focus area.

The Holden Community Outreach and Engagement team organizes a series of webinars for Holden and key partners to connect and learn about each other's efforts in cancer survivorship. This series aims to enhance mutual understanding of survivorship initiatives and promote a coordinated research and action plan to improve outcomes for cancer survivors in Iowa.

Each session includes short presentations (10 minutes each) from a Holden researcher/clinician and a state partner, followed by 40 minutes of interactive discussion. Couldn't attend live? Recorded sessions are available below.

View: Overview of Cancer Survivorship in Iowa

Katie Jones, MPH; Iowa Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Manager, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Division
Sarah Nash, PhD, MPH, University of Iowa College of Public Health

View: Overview of Pediatric Cancer Survivorship

Kristin Foster, DNP, CPNP-PC, PMHNP-BC; Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatric Primary Care Program, University of Iowa College of Nursing; Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology Program Director, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
Natalie Steuer, Mother & Childhood Cancer Advocate

View: Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship in Iowa

Michelle Altmaier, Adolescent and Young Adult Program Manager, UI Health Care
Amber McCarthy, BSN, RN, Assistant Nurse Manager, Holden Cancer Clinic, UI Health Care
Rachel Fyfe, Adolescent and Young Adult Program Coordinator, UnityPoint Health

View: Physical Therapy & Integrative Services for Providers

Natalie Kruse, PT, DPT, CLT, LANA, CSCS, Senior Physical Therapist, Rehab Therapies, UIHC
Kylie Cooper, MPH, Program Director, Integrative Oncology, MercyOne Richard Deming Cancer Center

View: Panel Discussion on the Survivorship Experience 

Zuli Garcia, cervical cancer survivor 
Alan Armstrong, colorectal cancer survivor 
Erin Sullivan Wagner, anal cancer survivor
John Hall, parent of a cancer survivor

View: Managing Long-Term Side Effects in Cancer Survivors

Richard L. Deming, MD; Medical Director, MercyOne Richard Deming Cancer Center; Founder, Above + Beyond Cancer
Stephanie Gilbertson-White, PhD, RN, FAAN; Associate Professor, University of Iowa College of Nursing; Director, PhD Program, University of Iowa College of Nursing

View: Brain Fog after Chemotherapy

Sneha Phadke, DO, MPH; Breast Medical Oncologist, University of Iowa Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
Brenda Helget, CFRE; Executive Director, A Time to Heal Cancer Foundation

View: Quality-of-Life Clinical Trials

Angela Merriss, Manager, Translational Research Services, University of Iowa Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
Hala Abu-Assaf, Clinical Research Coordinator, CCDR Lead, Iowa Oncology Research Association