beyond pink team
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Board
    • Annual Report
    • Contact Us
  • Support
    • Physical
    • Emotional
    • Community
    • Financial
    • Caregiver
    • Online
  • Education
    • Newsletter
    • Ignite the Cancer Conversation
    • Quality Care
    • Resources
    • Request Speaker
    • The Cancer Journey
  • Advocacy
    • What is Advocacy
    • National Breast Cancer Coalition
    • Iowa Stop Breast Cancer
    • Research
    • Influencing Policy
    • Access to Care
  • Join Us
    • Be an Advocate
    • Volunteer
    • Events >
      • 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Run
    • Membership
    • Donate to BPT
    • Follow Us
 If you are Breast Cancer Survivor and  you would like to contribute your story to our Newsletter, 
​please send us a message here.
DOWNLOAD Current NewsletteR

Categories

All
Advocacy
Bone Health
Breast Density
Breast Disease
Caregivers
COVID 19
COVID-19
Emotional Support
Environment
Exercise
Fatigue
Financial
Gender
Genetic Testing
Grief
High Risk
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Ignite
Implants
Intimacy After Cancer
LGBTQ
Lymphedema
Mammography
Meditation
Men
Mental Health
Metastasis
MRI
NBCC
Nutrition
Obesity
Pain
Pregnancy
Prevention
Radiation
Reconstruction
Reduce Risk
Rehabilitation
Screening
Sex
Side Effects
Support Groups
Surgery
Survivor
Survivorship
Treatment
Vaccine
Yoga
Young Women

Archives

January 2023
October 2022
July 2022
April 2022
January 2022
October 2021
July 2021
April 2021
January 2021
October 2020
July 2020
April 2020
January 2020
October 2019
July 2019
April 2019
January 2019
October 2018
July 2018
April 2018
January 2018
October 2017
July 2017
April 2017
January 2017
October 2016
July 2016
April 2016
January 2016
October 2015
July 2015
April 2015
January 2015
October 2014
July 2014
April 2014
January 2014
October 2013
July 2013
April 2013
January 2013
October 2012
July 2012
April 2012
January 2012
October 2011
July 2011
April 2011
January 2011
October 2010
July 2010
April 2010
January 2010
October 2009
July 2009
April 2009
January 2009
October 2008
July 2008
April 2008
January 2008
October 2007
July 2007
April 2007
January 2007
October 2006
July 2006
April 2006
January 2006
October 2005
July 2005
April 2005
January 2005
October 2004
July 2004
April 2004
January 2004

my cancer journey

4/1/2013

0 Comments

 
Gail Orcutt’s Story and Advocacy to Check for Radon

​Last fall I was honored to share my cancer journey with some members of the Beyond Pink TEAM, BPT. I still find it hard to believe that I ever had lung cancer. I have never smoked, but none of the six physicians who knew my diagnosis suggested that radon might be the cause. My left lung was removed, and I endured twelve weeks of chemotherapy. Luckily, we caught it early, but none of my physicians ever mentioned radon, so if I hadn’t found an article about radon, my one healthy lung might still be in jeopardy.

How does this happen? Millions of years ago, the glaciers deposited uranium across a large portion of the country. As uranium decays, radon – a colorless, odorless gas – is one of the by-products. Like uranium, radon is radioactive. As it continues to decay, it can do such damage to your lungs that cancer is the result just by breathing the air.

Seven out of ten homes in Iowa contain a dangerous level of radon. The good news is that a house can be fixed (mitigated) in just a day. You can buy an accurate test kit from the American Lung Association for just $10 by calling 1-800-383-5992 or go to HealthHouse.org. The kit directions are easy to follow.

Everyone in Iowa needs to test their home every two years. There are no kinds of houses exempt from needing to be tested. The age or type of foundation of your house makes no difference. Even homes that already have a mitigation system should be checked every other year. If you are planning to build, you can use inexpensive radon resistant construction. (see http://www.epa.gov/radon/)

Nearly 400 Iowans die each year because they didn’t know about radon. Lung cancer from radon is so preventable. I don’t want you or anyone you love to get lung cancer from radon. I learned the hard way. Maybe you’ve been thinking, “I’ve been meaning to do that.” Now is the time to act.

If you would like more information, BreathingEasier.info is a good resource. Watch the 20 minute video; check into the scientific articles linked near the bottom of the page; and share the page with your family physician.

You have a choice and a responsibility to control one factor that causes cancer. Do it! 
read full newsletter
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

CONTACT US

Beyond Pink TEAM
c/o Jeanne Olson, Treasurer
1407 Asbury Lane
Waterloo, IA 50701
​beyondpinkteam@gmail.com
(319) 239-3706
©2020 Beyond Pink TEAM
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Board
    • Annual Report
    • Contact Us
  • Support
    • Physical
    • Emotional
    • Community
    • Financial
    • Caregiver
    • Online
  • Education
    • Newsletter
    • Ignite the Cancer Conversation
    • Quality Care
    • Resources
    • Request Speaker
    • The Cancer Journey
  • Advocacy
    • What is Advocacy
    • National Breast Cancer Coalition
    • Iowa Stop Breast Cancer
    • Research
    • Influencing Policy
    • Access to Care
  • Join Us
    • Be an Advocate
    • Volunteer
    • Events >
      • 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Run
    • Membership
    • Donate to BPT
    • Follow Us