In August 2023, 10 of us representing the American Lung Association will make the 7-day roundtrip trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. I've joined the Climb for Clean Air to challenge myself, to support the ALA, and raise awareness about Radon.

I started supporting the American Lung Association in 2011 when my dad (a non-smoker) was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer out of nowhere. Radon is a naturally occurring odorless gas that rises from the ground and gets trapped in our homes and office buildings. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking -- and many of you have never even heard of it. Well that stops today.

<a href="https://www.epa.gov/radon/health-risk-radon">epa.gov/radon/health-risk-radon</a>

<a href="https://www.lung.org/clean-air/at-home/indoor-air-pollutants/radon">lung.org/clean-air/at-home/indoor-air-pollutants/radon</a>

"Every home should be tested for radon. Radon has been found in high amounts in homes in every state. Your home can have elevated levels of radon while your neighbor's home does not. Testing is the only way to know if radon is a problem in your home. Radon testing is easy and low cost, and it could save your life. Thousands of lung cancer deaths could be avoided each year if home and building owners acted to test and fix."

You can order test kits <a href="https://action.lung.org/site/Ecommerce?store_id=34304&_ga=2.215254423.1288798429.1667496604-972813179.1667496604">here</a>

I recommend getting 2 short-term test kits to start, and use them both at the same time. If either comes back high, then follow up with a long-term test to get a better idea of the average. If your home has high levels of radon in it, both the American Lung Association and EPA websites have information about installing radon mitigation systems.

Thank you for reading! I hope that I've encouraged you to order Radon Test Kits for yourself and your loved ones. 

If you want to follow my training journey and keep me motivated through the dark, wet Seattle Winters I hope you'll donate to my fundraising portal too. At 19,341' elevation Mount Kilimanjaro is by far the most ambitious thing I've ever attempted. Your support on this journey means a lot! 

Donations to the ALA support research, advocacy and critical education, provide lifesaving treatments, and improve the quality of life of millions of americans living with lung disease and their caregivers. And the need for care is expanding because of Covid-19 and wildfires.

The American Lung Association has a score of 97% and 4/4 star rating on Charity Navigator. Donations are tax-deductible.