KDSN RADIO News

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Senator Whitver, battling brain tumor, says it’s been a difficult year

Senator Whitver, battling brain tumor, says it’s been a difficult year

Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver has delivered his first speech in the Iowa Capitol after announcing last May that he was undergoing radiation treatment for a brain tumor.

“The news recently has been encouraging. The tumor is getting smaller,” Whitver said. “I still have a long ways to go before the tumor is behind me, but I will continue to battle it with everything I have.”

Whitver has led Senate Republicans since 2018 and Republican senators re-elected him as their leader in November. In December, a spokesman for Whitver said multiple scans this fall showed the tumor was shrinking and — after completing radiation treatments — Whitver was undergoing a series of drug therapy treatments. During an interview with Radio Iowa last month, Whitver thanked Iowans who’ve sent him well wishes. He expanded on those sentiments yesterday in a speech on the floor of the Iowa Senate.

“I begin my speech today with a thank you to each person in this room and across this state who has taken time out of their day to say a prayer for me, offer a kind word or support me and my family as I continue to battle this brain tumor,” Whitver said. “…I appreciate your continued prayers and support as I keep walking down this path. My wife Rachel, my kids Ella, Elin and Drew and my mother-in-law Doe — they’re all here as well and I thank them for their love and support over a very difficult year.”

Whitver acknowledged the standing ovation that followed, but cut it off after half a minute, telling the Senate: “OK, OK. Come on. We’ve got to work.”

Whitver, a lawyer and small business owner who grew up in Grinnell and played football at Iowa State, is 44 years old. He’s been a state senator for the past 14 years.

Full News Listings
Johnson Propane
Vision Care Clinic
712 Digital Group, KDSN Radio, Digital Marketing, Digital Advertising
Crawford County Memorial Hospital
Manning Regional Healthcare Center
Blackbird Bend Casino Onawa Iowa
712 Digital Group, KDSN Radio, Digital Marketing, Digital Advertising
Crawford County Memorial Hospital
Manning Regional Healthcare Center