Lung Force, led by the American Lung Association, is trying to get the message across to everyone, but particularly women since only one percent of women even think about lung cancer.
This is what they have to say about lung cancer:
• Most women don’t know that lung cancer is the No. 1 killer of women.
• Every five minutes, a mother, daughter, wife or sister will be told she has lung cancer — every five minutes! One year later, fewer than half of these women will be alive.
• Lung cancer is not just a smoker's disease — it is THE No. 1 cancer killer of women and 19 percent of those women are never-smokers!
More than 87 percent of lung cancer deaths in women in the United States are due to smoking. The most important way you can reduce your risk of lung cancer is to NOT smoke and to avoid secondhand smoke, which causes 7,330 lung cancer deaths among non-smokers per year.
Test your home for radon. Radon is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas that causes lung cancer. Radon can build up to dangerous levels inside homes, schools and other buildings. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., after smoking. Radon gas occurs naturally. As it decays, radon releases radioactive byproducts that are inhaled and can cause lung cancer. Every home should be tested for radon and any elevated radon levels should be fixed if the results are higher than recommended.
Air pollution is also a cause of lung cancer. Unhealthy air outside comes from dirty power plants, dirty diesel cars and trucks, and heavy construction equipment, to name a few sources. Help fight pollution! Take action in your community to help clean up the air you and your family breathe. (Thank you, City of The Dalles, for passing the burn barrel ordinance!)
Be aware of possible exposure to asbestos in your home and workplace.
Lung cancer is also the No. 1 cancer killer of men. It kills more people than any other cancer!
You can make a difference by raising awareness and helping with funding at lungforce.org.
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