Austin firefighter wins legal battle over cancer treatment

AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin firefighter who has been fighting both cancer and the legal system just won a major battle.

The backstory:

For months, Lieutenant Suzanne La Follette has been pushing the state to recognize her illness as work-related. 

A state judge ruled that her stage four cancer is indeed linked to her 19 years of service. This is important because Texas law doesn't include female reproductive cancers in automatic coverage for firefighters.

La Follette has been fighting to ensure her family is taken care of if she passes away from the disease.

The Austin Firefighters Association is now calling on the city not to appeal the decision. They hope this ruling will lead to permanent changes in state law.

What they're saying:

You can read the full Austin Firefighters Association statement below:

Who is Suzanne La Follette?

The backstory:

Susan La Follette has been an Austin firefighter for 19 years. She was diagnosed with stage 4 endometrial cancer in May 2025, which she believes was caused by her job. 

Her worker's compensation claim was denied. The denial called her cancer "a disease of life." 

She told FOX 7 in February, "If I pass because of this disease, I really want my family to be covered as a line of duty death as they should be, so that my wife and my daughters will be taken care of."

At the state level, Texas firefighter presumptive cancer coverage only includes male reproductive cancers like prostate and testicular cancers, but not female reproductive ones. 

At the federal level, female reproductive cancers were added to the list just last year.