Lung Cancer and Women

What does the word “Woman” bring to mind…..How ’bout partner, wife, mother, caretaker, lover, schedule planner, gentle, fierce….I can go on and on. Women in general are so focused on taking care of others, they often put themselves last. Then why, oh why would you not test your home for Radon Gas – man or woman??? As parents and husbands/wives, we buckle our children in the car, help them cross the road, wash their fruits and vegetables, make doctor appointments, dental appointments etc., etc., To all of the women out there (and men too) – we dedicate this post to focusing on YOUR HEALTH. Let’s take care of ourselves and in turn our families. Now let’s take a look at some eye opening information ~

Most people know that smoking can cause cancer, however many don’t realize that Lung Cancer can attack non-smokers too. In America between 16,000 and 24,000 people die of lung cancer each year. According to Cancer.org, if lung cancer in non-smokers had it’s own category ~ it would rank in the top 10 most fatal cancers in the U.S.

There seems to be an underlying perception that if one has been diagnosed with lung cancer, they must have smoked – right?? Well, not necessarily. And to top it off – why does it seem to favor women?? Let’s break things down and take a look –

• Radon Gas – It’s the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers
• Second Hand Smoke – According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 3,400 non smokers die of lung cancer from second hand smoke.
• Gene Mutations – when gene mutation occurs, it contributes to the occurance of cancer.

**Since 1987 Lung Cancer has become the #1 Cancer killer of women in the United States. Alarmingly, 1 in 5 women diagnosed with Lung Cancer have never smoked. Lung Cancer in women surpasses breast cancer, ovarian, uterine, cervical, and vaginal cancers combined. According to Unitingagainstlungcancer.org among never smokers, women are more likely to develop lung cancer vs. men. It also attacks them at a much younger age.

That’s some sobering information above. Knowing that Radon Gas is a major contributor to the potential of lung cancer – why not test your home??? It really can be as simple as washing your fruits and vegetables! There is endless information about Radon Gas exposure and Lung Cancer. Call your local county, visit the Illinois Emergency Management Agency website (or just search Radon and your state). Get yourself educated and take any necessary action. Aren’t you worth it??

Christopher Bice, Founder of Guardian Radon Mitigation & Electrical Services, LLC is a licensed and certified Radon Mitigation contractor through the State of Illinois’ IEMA Division.

**Special thanks to Uniting Against Lung Cancer and Cancer.org for providing some of this data
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