Published: July 17, 2008 05:36 pm            

Gearing Up for RAGBRAI

RAGBRAI is just around the corner and people from across the state and around the world will join the 36th annual Register’s Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. This year’s route will take bikers through Missouri Valley, Harlan, Jefferson, Ames, Tama-Toledo, North Liberty, Tipton and Le Claire as well as many other towns along the way.

RAGBRAI is more than a bike ride, it is a great opportunity for Iowans to come together, get moving, and visit Iowa communities of all sizes. This great tradition brings celebrities and athletic stars to Iowa and provides a great economic boost to our state as well. This year, it will also bring a boost in morale for the towns in eastern Iowa that were devastated by the recent floods.

One of the notables riding this year is my friend and partner in the fight against cancer, Lance Armstrong. As someone who knows the personal losses felt from cancer, I have fought for legislation that will prevent families from having to endure this awful disease. Lance helped champion one of the bills I introduced, the Cancer Screening, Treatment, and Survivorship Act of 2007, which focused on reducing cancer mortality rates and improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with the disease. While I have also fought hard in the Senate to fund research to fight cancer and find new cures, prevention and early detection offer us great hope for reducing the incidences of cancer.

But it’s not just cancer, we must do everything we can to prevent all chronic diseases. Preventing heart disease, diabetes, stress and depression would significantly lower the costs of healthcare for every American. More than 75 percent of all medical expenditures are used to treat chronic conditions, many of which are preventable by changes in diet and lifestyle.

This focus on treating rather than preventing disease is indicative of our broken healthcare system. We spend untold billions of dollars on pills, surgery, hospitalization, and disability, but spend peanuts for prevention. In fact, right now in our country we don’t have a health care system, we have a sick care system. If you’re sick, you get care.

That’s why, for years, I have worked in the Senate to shift the focus of our healthcare system toward preventing disease, early detection and screenings, promoting good nutrition, and encouraging exercise and wellness.

Since exercise is a key part of prevention, I am always thrilled to see Iowans hop on their bikes to ride RAGBRAI. I hope after the fun ends, Iowans will continue to work exercise into their weekly lifestyles.

        

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