Senator Dray discloses stage 1 uterine cancer, urges action on access to screenings and care

Senator Dray (Woodbury) told colleagues she was diagnosed with stage 1 uterine cancer after a cervical biopsy, and that a hysterectomy was scheduled for the following day. "Here's the good news, and it is genuinely good news," Dray said, noting her CT scan showed no sign the cancer had spread.

Dray framed her disclosure as a public-policy issue rather than a private matter, saying early detection saves lives and that access to routine screenings determines who gets care. She described how a nurse she encountered had told her a sister's monthly insurance premium rose "from $500 for 2 adults to $2,750" after marketplace subsidy changes, and said those cost shifts are making treatment and recovery precarious for many Iowans. "This diagnosis did not come out of nowhere," Dray said, linking her condition to broader systemic issues and urging transparency about costs, coverage and recovery.

Dray asked colleagues for professionalism and accommodations during her treatment and promised to remain available to constituents when able. She said she would share details about treatment, recovery and costs publicly to make the process transparent: "I intend to use every tool available to me," she said.

The senator stressed that while she personally has insurance, transportation and support, many residents do not. She called on policymakers to address what she described as a system that "treats illness as a personal failure instead of a predictable part of being human." The Senate offered its prayers and good wishes following her remarks.