4.6 - Radon
Creating a campaign against radon the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer should start with a city wide assessment of areas where there are high levels of active radon, and label them. Also creating a campaign sharing the numbers of deaths caused by this substance, and where it can be found. Because it is airborne, campaigns would be placed in areas accessible outdoors. Bus stations, bus stops, billboards around town and on buildings. In addition to social media campaigns, there should also be radio campaigns for older people, with more limited technology access.
Side note, my father died from lung cancer in 2009. He was diagnosed in June, and passed in October, in literally just 4 months he was gone. I had no idea radon was one of the leading causes. I never found out what he had been exposed too. In addition to smoking cigarettes he worked for many years in construction or in mines. I wonder if I can even have access to look up his toxicology report.
I'm sorry to hear about your father passing; it's always good to reflect the environmental surroundings and in this case for your father - it could be a worker's compensation case / lawsuit! I work at UCSF and I get a lot of patients - believe me or not...have worker's compensation related cases that by reading the history and their medical story were found to be connected.
ReplyDeleteVery sorry to hear about your father as well. I think this does highlight the need to educate everyone about the potential for exposure to radon. I did not even know what radon was a few weeks ago or how dangerous it is.
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