Give back to generous Iowans, Armstrong

Sat April 07 2007
Posted Apr 7, 2007
7,482

DES MOINES REGISTER OPINION SECTION Lance Armstrong will be riding RAGBRAI again, but this time it isn't just about promoting cancer awareness. The ride will potentially raise $100,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The work Lance Armstrong does for cancer awareness is admirable. However, I am dismayed that he may very well take the money and run. According to the Livestrong Web site under the "State Profile: Iowa," our state has the 28th highest overall incidence of cancer in the country. Scroll down to the Community Program section to learn that the foundation has awarded just three grants to Iowa organizations: two for $10,000 in 2006 and one for $7,125 in 2003. Armstrong is poised to raise $100K in mere days from the checkbooks of generous Iowans and others who come from afar to participate in RAGBRAI, yet grants to Iowa organizations are practically nonexistent. Lance, how about putting at least a portion of that $100K right back into cancer-awareness programs in Iowa? I'm sure the previous grantees, as well as many others, would love just a piece of that pie to help them continue the fight against cancer. - Joy Esposito, Des Moines.