1 in 3 Saskatchewan residents at risk of exposure to dangerous radon levels

All homes in Canada have some level of radon. It’s just a question of how much.

The University of Calgary reports one in three Saskatchewan residents live in a home with dangerous levels of radon – an odourless, tasteless and invisible gas currently the second leading cause of lung cancer. Three of those who have survived radon-induced lung cancer teamed up with Lung Sask to try and reveal the danger.

Radon ambassador and cancer survivor Kerri Mossing says most people have no idea their homes contain radon – let alone potentially harmful levels of it.

“So in Saskatchewan, we have very high levels of radon in our homes because we have high levels of uranium in our soil. And so given that we’re in an area where radon levels can be very high in your home, I think it’s very important to test,” Mossing said.

Todd Despins, owner of Vent Pro Mechanical in Saskatoon, deals with radon regularly, and says newer houses can have higher levels of the gas but the only way to confirm the danger is testing.

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“So nowadays our houses are built airtight and new windows and new doors is actually making our homes have elevated radon levels,” Despins said. “So every home is different. Just because one house may or may not test high does not mean the neighbouring house will or will not. The only way to know is to test.”

Cancer survivor Christine Elliott says being a radon ambassador brings awareness to a danger most people don’t know exists.

“But to be part of the forerunner, you know, the group that’s bringing this this information to Canadians is an absolute honour to be part of because, you know, second leading cause of lung cancer and we have never heard of it. I had never heard of it. And I had cancer because of it,” Elliott said.

Luana Hiebert, an ambassador battling stage 4 lung cancer says her cancer may have been prevented by testing her house for radon earlier — and she hopes to save others from a similar situation.

“Well, the outcome for me is undecided. But if I can change it for someone else, that’s important,” Hiebert said.

Though radon testing kits are available for purchase throughout the province, radon ambassadors are pushing for mandatory testing when purchasing a home to avoid others developing a preventable form of cancer.

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