August 1st is World Lung Cancer Day

Today is World Lung Cancer Day. Lung Cancer claims more lives worldwide than breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. Radon induced lung cancer is real and preventable. Like most people, Janet thought only people who smoked got lung cancer. But that’s not the case. Watch her story.

Rachael Malmberg was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer at age 31. The former national-level U.S. hockey player had never smoked and had lived a perfectly healthy life. Since her diagnosis, Malmberg has become an advocate for radon testing. Read more about Rachel's story.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking). Health Canada recently increased its estimate of radon induced lung cancer deaths to approximately 16% of all lung cancers or approximately 3,200 Canadians that die annually from radon exposure.

Health Canada's policy is that all Canadian homes should be tested for radon and mitigated if above the action guideline. Interestingly, many people do not choose to mitigate after finding their dwellings have elevated radon levels. Mitigation need not be difficult or costly.

The only way to know how much radon may be present in your indoor air is to test for it. You can order a radon test online to test your home - it’s easy and inexpensive!

Is there radon in your water?

You can’t see, smell or taste it, but radon is present to some degree in the air that you breathe. If you’re on a residential well, it’s likely in the water you drink.

High levels of dissolved radon are found in the groundwater in some areas flowing through granite or granitic sand and gravel formations. If you live in an area with high radon in groundwater it can get into your private well and create an entry point for radon to enter your house. Showering, washing dishes, and laundering can disturb the water and release radon gas into the air you breathe! (Source: CDC)

Since Mike Holmes Jr. installed an Airwell on the country house on Holmes + Holmes, the questions have been flooding in about radon in water.

Airwell technology works like this:

1. Purification.

   The Airwell system recirculates and oxidizes residential well water. Water quality is improved by injecting air into the water at source. Pressurized air lifts contaminated water to the surface and releases radon gas. Airwell can also be used as a methane and sulphur mitigation system too. It will also precipitate iron out of the water.

2. Efficiency.
   Airwell is a low voltage system, consuming roughly the same energy as a 60W light bulb. Patented aeration chamber requires no maintenance or cleaning. Airwell runs 24/7.

3. Performance.
   Airwell does not affect a constant pressure system. Airwell pumps air 30’ below the water level.

4. Safety.
   Water is aerated from the aquifer. Radon levels will continue to drop over time. The system is flexible in both the depth of well and the level of radon that can be mitigated.

For more information about this new technology, contact Radon Environmental.

Three Alarming Facts About Lung Cancer

#1. Lung Cancer May Not Cause Any Symptoms in its Early Stages

Signs and symptoms sometimes seen in lung cancer:

• A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time

• Chest pain that doesn't go away

• Coughing up blood

• Feeling short of breath

• Wheezing

• Losing your voice (hoarseness)

• Getting sick with pneumonia and bronchitis a lot

• Swollen neck and face

• Not hungry, losing weight without trying

• Feeling tired

These symptoms could mean lung cancer, or it could be something else. If you have these symptoms, go see your doctor to find out what’s causing the symptoms. Your doctor can say for sure what's causing the symptoms and how to treat them.

#2. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

Health Canada, the World Health Organization, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and many other respected international authorities all agree – Radon is the number 1 cause of lung cancer for non-smokers.

Recent estimates published by the Radiation Protection Bureau of Health Canada show that 16% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to indoor radon exposure. This estimate is conservative and will increase as radon induced lung cancers are more commonly detected in the future.

#3. Radon-induced lung cancer can be avoided.

Test your home and then mitigate elevated concentrations of radon. The only way to know if you have a radon problem is to test for it. Testing for radon is easy and inexpensive.

Radon + Smoking = dangerous combination! People who smoke and are exposed to elevated levels of radon have a significantly increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Further Reading:

Canadian Cancer Society