Stories from Radon-Induced Cancer Survivors and Families

Steve Dugan – 2009

Castle Rock, CO
April, 2009

My husband, Steve, worked an average of 10 hours a day in our basement for the past seven years. Recently lung cancer took his life. It was very quick; he was diagnosed at the end of January; and by the end of April, Steve died. His only symptom was coughing, and he was given antibiotics for bronchitis. Only when that didn’t work, did the physicians request a chest X-ray and begin to wonder what could be wrong. He only completed two chemo treatments, and then so many complications impeded his treatment.

This summer my neighbor was selling her house and was requested to have a radon test performed. The results were over 9 pCi/L. I had never heard of radon or anything about it, so I did research. When I got my home tested, the level was 10.1! If I had only known of the potential danger, perhaps . . .. I truly believe that the level of radon in our home accelerated Steve’s onset of lung cancer even though he smoked. Smokers or former smokers are at a much higher risk of lung cancer when exposed to high levels of radon gas.

Now I live with the “what ifs.” What effects may the radon levels have on my son or me? Every time I cough, I wonder, “Am I next.” For 17 years I have lived in Colorado, purchased two homes one old and one new and had home inspections. Not once did anyone mention “radon.” I can’t understand why there aren’t laws to require radon testing or mitigation like the ones that require smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

Faye Dugan

To learn more, visit the Cancer Survivors Against Radon wesbite.