Dupage Policy Journal

State Rep. Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) recently paid tribute to Cal Sutter, a young cancer victim whose death inspired legislation that benefits children with cancer.

“Cal Sutter would have been 28 years old,” Lewis recently posted on Facebook on what would have been Sutter’s birthday. “Special recognition to his father Tom Sutter and Stacey Skjoldager Wahlberg, my great friend Ryan Phillips and brother Michael for their passion, leadership and commitment to support families impacted by pediatric cancer. Honored to have initiated Cal’s Law in the Illinois General Assembly and grateful to be a part of Cal’s Angels and this amazing organization.”

In 2005 when Sutter was 10, he was diagnosed with cancer, inspiring the creation and launch of the charity organization Cal's Angels, a pediatric cancer foundation with a mission of granting wishes, raising awareness, and funding research to help kids fighting cancer.

Cal's heroic battle inspired Cal's Law, which provides children with cancer greater access to diagnostic testing.

Since arriving in Springfield, Lewis has made the fight against cancer one of his signature issues. Cal's Law, his first bill, became law in January.

House Bill 2109 also amended the Illinois Insurance Code to mandate coverage for comprehensive cancer testing and testing of blood or constitutional tissues for cancer predisposition testing.

“It is an honor to be standing here today, looking at all of you here in this body,” said Lewis, presenting his bill on the House Floor last April. “When I ran for office, I said my goal is to help people and to work together. This bill is about helping kids with cancer, a goal I know we can all get behind.”

Always a bipartisan effort, Cal’s Law counted both House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Burr Ridge) and Speaker of the House Chris Welch (D-Westchester) as co-sponsors.

“Because we have lived the battle with pediatric cancer, we understand what these families are going through,” Cal's Angels posts on its website. “The help that we provide these families through our programs is a great resource when they need it the most.”

In 2022, the American Cancer Society estimated that upwards of 10,000 children under the age of 20 will be diagnosed with cancer.