Freya Everly

Cal’s Angels was founded in 2007 by Tom Sutter and Stacey Wahlberg in memory of their son, Cal, who passed away from leukemia at just 13 years old. Their mission is to grant wishes, raise awareness, and fund research for kids fighting cancer — but what we experienced was so much more than a mission statement. Here are some of the ways that Cal’s Angels made an impact on Freya and our family. 

The 12 Oaks Sibling Assistance Program

One of the hardest parts of pediatric cancer is how it consumes everything. Hospital stays, medications, appointments, side effects — it becomes the center of the universe. And while one child is fighting for their life, siblings are quietly carrying their own heavy load.

Cal’s Angels understands that.

Through the 12 Oaks Sibling Assistance Program, which helps relieve the financial burden of sports and extracurricular activities for patients and their siblings, Winnie and Miles were able to attend child yoga classes at Serendipity Yoga and Wellness with Liz.

We wanted them to have tools to handle the big feelings that came with walking this road beside their sister. That space for movement and mindfulness was invaluable. It allowed them to be seen and supported during a time when so much of our focus was on Freya.

Holden’s Warrior Wheels

Another incredible gift from Cal’s Angels was through Holden’s Warrior Wheels — a wagon to help transport Freya during treatment at Comer.

This wagon walked so many miles with us — literally.

For much of her leukemia journey, Freya was unable to walk without assistance. Seeing our vibrant, fiercely independent girl needing so much help was heartbreaking. Cancer and its cruel side effects tried to take so much, but they never dulled her spirit.

The wagon became more than transportation. It became inclusion.

One of our favorite memories was decorating it as the Ectomobile for Halloween. Four out of the five of us dressed as Ghostbusters, and Freya rolled right along with us. That wagon allowed her to participate fully in family life when her cancer prevented her from engaging in the way she wanted. The gift of mobility and inclusion, especially when she was feeling tired, or drained from treatment, made all of our days much more meaningful. 

Fantasy Flight

Cal’s Angels partners with United Airlines to host a Fantasy Flight to the “North Pole,” and I still get emotional thinking about it.

We gathered at O’Hare with other families who understood this strange, fragile world we were living in. We had our very own personal helper guide us through the day. It started with our kids having breakfast together in one of the terminals, enjoying some holiday fun while we waited for the plane ride. After holiday carols and carbs, we boarded a plane — Freya and Miles’ very first one ever— in an environment that felt safe, which is no small thing when your child is immunocompromised, and every germ feels like a threat. We flew for an hour and had a great time on the plane with so many superheroes before we landed at the “North Pole.”

Santa. Mrs. Claus. Reindeer. Generous gifts from Santa’s helpers. Smiles that felt carefree. For a few hours, cancer wasn’t the loudest thing in the room. Magic was.

As a parent, it was one of the most incredible once-in-a-lifetime experiences our children have ever had. A day where wonder took center stage.

Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month: Yard Signs of Freya

September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, and Cal’s Angels helps spread education and awareness through a personalized yard sign campaign. In 2025, one of the signs they created featured Freya’s photo alongside a pediatric cancer fact to raise awareness. Seeing her face displayed in our community — not just as a patient, but as a child who mattered — meant everything to us.

We plan to bring that sign out every September to remember Freya and to advocate for better funding and awareness for pediatric cancers. (If anyone reading this would like a sign, please let us know — we still have some and would love to see her face in our community.)

Community Support

One of the earliest gestures of support came through our daycare. After we shared that Freya was fighting leukemia, they reached out to Cal’s Angels and organized a day where all the teachers and her classmates wore yellow Cal’s Angels shirts in solidarity with our family.

It was such a beautiful, tangible reminder that we were not alone. Even now, thinking about that day brings happy tears. In the midst of fear and uncertainty, we felt wrapped in community.

What Cal’s Angels Meant to Us

Cal’s Angels didn’t just provide programs.

They gave our kids coping tools.
They gave Freya mobility and inclusion.
They gave us magic in the middle of medical trauma.
They gave our community a way to rally around us.

When you’re working through pediatric cancer, you learn quickly that you cannot do it alone. Organizations like Cal’s Angels step into the gap and bring light into unimaginably dark spaces. We will forever be grateful for the way they showed up for Freya — and for all of us. 💛 If you would like to donate to Cal’s Angels you can do so here.

-Melissa