Katie Jones

College of Public Health

About Katie:

I went to high school in Cedar Rapids and did my undergrad at Grinnell College. I majored in history but also took a lot of science classes. In addition to working for the ICC, I also work for the College of Public Health. I’m a Rape Victim Advocacy Program (RVAP) volunteer advocate and part of the College of Public Health Student Association board. I enjoy cycling, cooking and playing board games.

Katie & The Iowa Cancer Consortium:

I work for the Iowa Cancer Consortium (ICC), which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to cancer control efforts in Iowa. The mission of the ICC is “to reduce cancer incidence and mortality in Iowa through collaborative efforts that provide services and programs directed towards comprehensive cancer prevention and control.” I’ve worked on a number of different ICC projects, including the Pink Shawl project. The Pink Shawl project is a breast cancer prevention and screening program developed for Native American women. The project involves both an educational and a shawl-making component, where Native American women come together to make traditional shawls honor cancer survivors. The project goal is to increase breast cancer screening and early detection for Native American women. The women who participate receive the benefit of health education and feel a sense of ownership of the project by sewing shawls. The project has happened across Iowa, including in Sioux City, Council Bluffs, in the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville, and on the reservation in Tama. There was a Pink Shawl Pow Wow in Iowa City as well.

ICC Effecting All Iowans:

I think the project has a very positive impact on the participants. Native American women are disproportionately affected by breast cancer (as well as other health disparities) and this project helps increase their knowledge while being a group event that honors their traditions. The project has a pre/post evaluation component, which has shown it to be effective at increasing knowledge about breast cancer risk and screening.

Katie's Favorite part of being a UI Graduate Student:

My favorite thing has been some of the classes I’ve taken, which have been both really interesting and practical for what I want to do with my life. My classmates are another great part of being a UI grad student; there are a lot of passionate and interesting people at the College of Public Health. I also love living in Iowa City!