2/23 UPDATE:

Victory in Iowa! Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia now require insurance companies to cover routine care costs for patients enrolled in a cancer clinical trial!  Today, Tuesday, February 23, blood cancer volunteers from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Iowa Chapter witnessed Iowa Governor Chet Culver sign House File 2075 into law, officially requiring this coverage for cancer patients in Iowa.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society would like to thank the bill’s champions, Reps. Janet Peterson, Tyler Olson and Doug Struyk and Sen. Joe Bolkcom, and Gov. Culver for their support of this vital issue!

Today, Wednesday, February 17, blood cancer volunteers from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Iowa chapter will travel to Des Moines and thank their elected officials for passing legislation that will require insurers in Iowa to cover routine care costs for patients enrolled in a clinical trial.  Volunteers will also be presenting our champions – Reps. Janet Peterson, Tyler Olson and Doug Struyk and Sen. Joe Bolkcom – with awards thanking them for their support of this bill.  But just because you were not able to make the trip to the Capitol building doesn’t mean you can’t still join in the excitement of Iowa’s State Mission Day!

For Iowans, there are two ways that you can still participate in the day: 1) Please visit LLS’s Legislative Action Center and send a pre-drafted email to your representatives thanking them for passing House File 2075 unanimously in both the Iowa House and Senate, and 2) you can follow the day online. We will be posting updates, volunteer feedback, photos and video right here on the @LLS Blog and through LLS pages on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

So check in from time-to-time and be a part of Iowa’s 2010 State Mission Day!