‘Trevor’s Law’ to track cancer clusters

Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has secured final passage of legislation aimed at tracking childhood and adult cancer clusters nationwide.

“Trevor’s Law,” which passed the Senate on a unanimous voice vote Monday night, is named for a young Boise man who survived brain cancer. It is part of the Toxic Substances Control Act reform bill headed to President Barack Obama’s desk. He is expected to sign the legislation, which passed the House on May 24.

“The passage of Trevor’s Law is a significant milestone in how cancer clusters will be identified, monitored and treated in the United States,” Crapo said in a statement. “Every American, directly or indirectly, has been affected in some form by cancer, and this legislation is another tool to continue fighting against this disease.”

Trevor Schaefer was just 13 when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Susan Rosser and his mother, Charlie Smith, brought cancer cluster legislation to Crapo, who also is a cancer survivor, in 2010. The next year, Crapo joined Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to introduce the first version of the bill. In 2013, hearings were held on it, and Trevor joined activist Erin Brockovich and others to testify in favor.

“After seven long years of fighting for environmental justice, the voices of all of our children and communities have been heard,” said Schaefer, now 27, in a statement. “We will now be able to more effectively and efficiently identify cancer clusters throughout the United States and uncover why such cancer clusters exist.”

The bill establishes a new federal program to recognize and investigate cancer clusters, in cooperation with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local and state health departments, universities, other federal agencies and the public.