In October 2023, our Ecosense team had the privilege of meeting Kerri Robbins from Lehi, Utah. Kerri bravely shared her unexpected journey with lung cancer, a diagnosis linked to elevated radon levels in her home. A non-smoker and seemingly healthy, Kerri's story serves as a wake-up call about the importance of radon awareness. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who never smoked. Upon discovering the correlation between her lung cancer diagnosis and radon gas exposure, she took proactive measures to address the issue by mitigating her home and continuously monitoring radon levels post-mitigation.

Unexpected Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Kerri was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-smoking lung cancer, a shocking revelation for her and her family. Despite being active and having no noticeable symptoms, Kerri's diagnosis was made when she discovered brain tumors associated with advanced lung cancer. Subtle signs like feeling unwell on a treadmill and experiencing memory lapses during everyday tasks triggered her journey of medical discovery.

Radon Exposure Equivalent to Heavy Smoking

Kerri had never considered the possibility of radon exposure until her diagnosis. Her home's radon levels were 31.3 pCi/L  equivalent to smoking 3 packs of cigarettes a day. Kerri expresses frustration, exclaiming, "I was so mad. How is it possible that I wasn't aware of radon—a silent and invisible threat that can give rise to serious health issues when you least expect it to pose any danger?"

Fluctuating Radon Levels Post-Mitigation

“I’ve just learned that even though our home was mitigated, we still don’t know if we are safe unless we have continuous monitoring in place” 

After installing a radon mitigation system, Kerri learned that it's not a one-time fix. Radon levels can fluctuate from day to day, season to season, and she now understands the necessity of Continuous Radon Monitoring Post-Mitigation. Ecosense provided Kerri with the EcoBlu, a plug-and-play continuous radon monitor, allowing her to track radon levels in real-time and ensure the effectiveness of her mitigation system.

Lung Cancer Is Preventable

"It’s preventable cancer”, as underscored by Kerri's journey, which illuminates the significance of early radon detection and continuous monitoring as a safety measure against lung cancer. 

By sharing her story, she aims to raise awareness about the importance of being proactive in managing radon risks. Emphasizing the pivotal role of radon education and the readily available radon detection tools, Kerri advocates for the prevention of radon-caused health issues, reinforcing the notion that lung cancer is indeed a preventable outcome.

Take Radon Risks Seriously

Kerri reflects on her home-buying experience, noting that she was more concerned about traffic than the radon gas threat. This underscores the common oversight of radon risks and the need for increased awareness during real estate transactions as well as public health initiatives. Kerri reminds us to take the issue of radon seriously before it becomes a critical health concern.

Affordable Mitigation – Cheaper than Cancer Treatment

Contrary to expectations, radon mitigation for Kerri and her husband cost $1500, significantly less than the anticipated $4-5K, and notably cheaper than cancer treatment. The economic benefit of investing in radon mitigation systems and continuous radon monitoring devices as a proactive and incomparably cost-effective preventive measure.

Kerri Robbins's mission is to increase radon awareness and education, extending beyond her immediate community. She stresses that awareness is the key to proactive radon management and encourages everyone to take action today. By sharing her story, Kerri hopes to prevent others from facing the silent danger of radon exposure and its devastating consequences.