Date Published: 00/00/0000 [Source]
Charles Pritt of RadonZone.com announced today that the company will contribute $3.00 to the American Cancer Society's Lung Cancer Fund for every order taken between March 15th and April 15th of this year. "In light of the unfortunate deaths of Peter Jennings and Dana Reeve, we wanted to do our part to raise public awareness about lung cancer, especially among people who have never smoked. Testing your home for radon is easy and inexpensive, and we hope our program encourages people to do so," Pritt said.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and overall, the second leading cause of lung cancer. The EPA estimates that radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Of those, about 2,900 occur among people who have never smoked. Lung cancer now surpasses breast cancer as the number one cause of death among women. Lung cancer is the only known effect on human health from exposure to radon.
Although lung cancer can be treated, the survival rate is one of the lowest. From the time of diagnosis, depending upon demographic factors, only 11 to 15 percent of those afflicted will live beyond five years. In many cases lung cancer can be prevented and this is especially true for radon.
Radon is a decay product of uranium and occurs naturally in soil and rock, and therefore radon levels can vary home to home. The EPA estimates that one in fifteen homes in the United States may have high levels of radon. You can't see or smell radon because it is a colorless, odorless gas. Other sources of radon include well water and building materials. Performing a radon test is the only way to measure radon exposure and know if you and your family are at risk.
In his proclamation for the January 2006 National Radon Action Month, EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson stated, "I encourage all Americans... to learn more about the health risk posed by radon, test for it, and, when warranted, take steps to reduce your exposure to it." Says Pritt, "There are people out there living with a major risk factor and don't even know it. It has always been our goal to help."