Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
April is Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month, and all Utahns should be aware of the unique risk factors they face while living in the Beehive State.
A local cautionary tale
Draper resident, Chauntelle Fjeldsted, moved back to Utah in 2020 and was excited to pour her time into remodeling her basement for visitors.
Unlike previous states Chauntelle lived in, Utah does not require radon testing disclosure during the sale of a home, so it easily slipped her mind. After getting testing done for a completely unrelated health concern, imaging showed a tumor on her lung.
"I was in total shock! My husband and family were in total shock! How could this be?" explained Chauntelle. "I have never smoked, nor been near second-hand smoke. I exercise every day and live a very healthy lifestyle.
I would never put anything harmful in my body on purpose. It really made no sense at all. No one in my family history has ever had lung cancer or any problems with their lungs."
After the shock of the diagnosis, Chauntelle and her husband Matt began researching the causes of non-smoking lung cancer. Matt thought it may be due to radon gas, so they ordered a radon test.
The results came back at 4.5 pCi/L (the equivalent of smoking nine cigarettes a day, according to the EPA). They quickly hired a local radon mitigation company, Utah Radon Services, to mitigate their home.
Chauntelle is one of the few lung cancer patients who received only a stage one diagnosis.
Lung cancer is particularly insidious because the symptoms tend to be mild or nonexistent in early stages, and many people don't get a diagnosis until they hit stage three or four.
I wish every Utah homeowner could somehow get the message they need to get their homes tested for radon. It's so easy to test for radon. The kit is even free! And it could save your life!"
–-Chauntelle Fjeldsted (non-smoking lung cancer survivor)
Chauntelle describes her diagnosis as a miracle even if it didn't make sense to her as a non-smoker. Her cancer was likely the result of radon gas in her Utah home, and she is now dedicated to raising awareness statewide.
"I wish every Utah homeowner could somehow get the message that they need to get their homes tested for radon," shared Chauntelle. "It's so easy to test for radon. The kit is even free! And it could save your life!"
Lung cancer in Utah
Like Chauntelle before her diagnosis, most residents do not know that Utahns face a higher level of lung cancer risk due to the geography of the state.
Although adults in Utah smoke cigarettes at nearly half the rate of the national average, the state is riddled with radon gas, the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Radon is a radioactive gas that rises into the air when uranium in the ground decays. You may have heard about Utah's uranium mines, but they aren't the only place uranium is found. Uranium can be found almost everywhere in Utah.
Although radon is not particularly hazardous in outdoor air, it becomes a major concern when it accumulates indoors.
After breathing in radon gas over a prolonged period, radon can change the DNA in your lungs, which is the reason it is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
According to the American Lung Association, only 11.8% of Utahns at high risk for lung cancer were screened in 2021.
Furthermore, an independent laboratory that processes the majority of radon tests in Utah found that 49% of the nearly 74,000 homes tested have radon levels that are considered dangerous.
Lung cancer prevention
One of the easiest ways to prevent lung cancer is to test your home for radon.
Radon testing is easy and simple, and all Utahns can receive a free radon test at UtahRadon.org.
A radon mitigation system can be installed if your home tests high. The system will work to lower the radon level in your home to a safer level.
The U.S. Surgeon General and leading health organizations recommend testing your home for radon every two years.
In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has stated, "Americans need to know about the risks of indoor radon and have the information and tools they need to take action.
That's why the EPA is actively promoting the Surgeon General's advice urging all Americans to get their homes tested for radon."
Request your free radon test today
