More to a health movement than a walk

In response to The Gazette's Oct. 14 editorial, “Don't steal spotlight”: I support Sen. Rob Hogg's “Keep It Going” walk that was held after the “Start Somewhere” walk endorsed by Gov. Terry Branstad the week before. I saw Hogg's walk as a positive effort to take advantage of the momentum of the original walk and to remind us that we all need to keep moving.

Sen. Hogg shared suggestions for 10 state initiatives that would support Iowa's effort to become the healthiest state in the nation. These ranged from continuation of tobacco prevention and cessation programs to maintenance of clean air regulations. Policy is an important part of any effort as sweeping as one to improve the health of all Iowans.

Recently Iowa has experienced funding and policy changes that have resulted in losses of jobs and services, from reduction of nursing home inspectors to a 62 percent cut in tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

Iowa needs more than “encouragement” from our governor to take a short walk to achieve the “healthiest” goal - we need policy and funding ideas beyond walking every day to carry out programs that will indeed move us in the right direction.

Kathryn Kilbourn

Cedar Rapids