Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ husband, Kevin Reynolds, is recovering from a surgery to remove a brain tumor after being diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer, the governor’s office announced Monday.
The governor’s husband, 68, was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023. The governor said that year Kevin was in treatment using an oral immune therapy drug and highlighted the “great progress” her husband saw in his treatment and recovery with the medical team at John Stoddard Cancer Center at UnityPoint Health in Des Moines.
But after three years of remission, Kevin Reynolds was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer. After recovering from surgery to remove a tumor from his brain, he will begin radiation therapy, the governor’s office said in a news release.
“We deeply appreciate the prayers of Iowans during this time. And our prayers for healing are with every family facing cancer,” Gov. Reynolds said in a statement.
“Kevin and I are a strong team,” she said in the statement. “Through 44 years of marriage, we have faced life’s trials together and overcome them. And now, with the strength and support of our family, we will face this fight together just as we have the others—with faith, hope, and love.”
Kevin Reynolds, born in Osceola, became the first to hold the title of first gentleman when his wife became governor in 2017. The couple has three daughters and 11 grandchildren.
The governor’s family struggle with cancer comes as the state of Iowa grapples with high cancer rates. In 2026, the state had the second-highest rate of cancer incidences in the country, and was one of only three states with a rising rate, according to the Iowa Cancer Registry.
“Our family is like many others who experience the highs and lows of navigating a cancer diagnosis over time,” Gov. Reynolds said. “We have been incredibly blessed with an excellent medical team since Kevin was first diagnosed in September 2023, and we are grateful that they remain at our side as we begin this next phase of treatment.”
