Date Published: 01/16/2020 [Source]
Six years ago, a nagging chest pain sent Licking County resident and busy mother of three, Annie Cacciato to the doctor.
"If I sneezed or coughed I had a sharp pain," Cacciato said. After a few more tests, that pain turned out to be stage four lung cancer. Doctors told her family to get preparations together, as she didn't have much time. "Your whole world is just turned upside down," Cacciato said.
Six years later, she has beaten the odds. She continues to fight back and warn others of the poisonous gas that put her in this situation. Her doctors said all signs point to high radon levels, as she is a non-smoker.
"You could have a dirty bomb in your home or workplace, and you have no knowledge of it. It has no taste, color or smell. I want people to know, it is your responsibility to make sure the air you're breathing is safe. This is preventable," Cacciato said.
Radon professionals say Central Ohio is at high risk because of the soil and rock in the area. "Radon forms naturally from the uranium in the soil," radon specialist Jodi Reitz said. "Every single house has radon levels in their soil. Every house needs to be tested."
Jodi Reitz works as a professional with Ohio Radon Mitigation Systems. She tests homes for levels of radon and works with the homeowners to figure out what the next step is. Often, they install a radon mitigation system that will get the radon level down to a safe zone inside of your home.
"The higher the number for the longer you are exposed it's just like smoking," Reitz said. "If you smoke a large amount of cigarettes for a long time you are more likely to get lung cancer. Radon works the same way."
Cacciato said she believes most of her exposure came from her school and the building she worked in for years. She had both buildings tested, and the levels came back around 27, which is about 10 times over the safe limit. Experts say anything more than 2.7 is considered dangerous.
"You do not want to be in my situation," she said. "I don't have a long life span. I'm not even supposed to be here."