The Boy on the Lake

Book excerpt: The inspiring true story of a boy who turned his struggle with cancer into a public health crusade that went all the way to Washington, DC. Trevor Smith Schaefer was the boy with everything to live for. Born into a family of baseball and Big Macs, his life in a small Idaho mountain town was full of nothing but potential. Then came the piercing headaches that wouldn’t stop. And soon after his thirteenth birthday he received the diagnosis that would turn Trevor’s world upside-down—he had brain cancer. After having a tumor the size of a golf ball removed from his brain, Trevor persevered through a difficult recovery. But he wasn’t done fighting. With the help of his mother, Trevor began organizing fundraisers and educational awareness events for cancer—specifically the types occurring in children due to environmental factors like pollution and toxic waste. This is the incredible tale of Trevor’s journey from cancer patient to community activist and the force behind what became known as “Trevor’s Law”—which required the government to track and follow cancer clusters and their causes. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2016. The passing and signing of Trevor’s Law proved “the power of one Idahoan, one American, to bring change that will benefit millions of people who could face cancer one day.” —Senator Mike Crapo, R–Idaho