Cary thought she had pulled a muscle when she first approached her doctor about a pain around her ribcage. Her primary care doctor decided to order a routine chest X-ray, just in case, expecting nothing serious. Instead, the imaging revealed a tumor in her left lung that had already spread to two ribs. "Next thing I know, I am being referred to an oncologist," she said.
Cary, who lived a very healthy lifestyle, was shocked and overwhelmed. "I'm thinking, how can that be? I'm healthy, not on any medication, have low blood pressure and I have never smoked. I mean, both sides of my family have members who lived to be over 100," she said incredulously.
Despite having no known risk factors, Cary's doctors confirmed her stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis in July 2024, and she began chemotherapy right away. Later she received the long-delayed biomarker testing that identified an EGFR mutation, making her eligible for targeted therapy. The switch was a welcome development.
The new treatment gave her hope and time to begin asking difficult questions about how she developed lung cancer in the first place. “I’m healthy, but I’m terminal. That doesn’t really compute,” she exclaimed.
Discovering the Dangers of Radon
Several months into treatment, Cary’s doctor mentioned that she was seeing more young and healthy people being diagnosed with lung cancer and suggested that environmental exposures, including radon, could play a role. Until that moment, Cary knew very little about the radioactive gas. "I’m thinking, radon? What the heck is radon?” She quipped.
Cary began to investigate and was shocked to discover that radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. In fact, radon-related lung cancer results in an estimated 21,000 deaths annually. She further discovered that the natural gas could enter buildings through cracks in walls, basement floors, foundations and other openings. And if it gets trapped indoors, it can easily build up to dangerous levels.
Discovering that the only way to detect the colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas was to test for it, Cary bought a radon monitor and placed it on the lowest level of her home, her basement. She was startled when the monitor showed levels above 8 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), more than double the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended action level of 4 pCi/L. “I’m thinking, 'OMG, how can this be?' We’ve been in our home since 2001,” she said. “So, for roughly 25 years I've been breathing in this toxic gas.”
As Cary learned more about the potential effects of long-term radon exposure, it seemed extremely likely that radon had contributed to her unexpected diagnosis. “You can never really prove it since there is no specific radon fingerprint,” she said. Given her home’s elevated radon levels and her decades-long exposure, the possibility felt impossible to ignore.
Turning Frustration into Action
Cary knew she had to get the word out.
As the targeted treatment stabilized her cancer, she began asking herself three questions: “How did this happen? Who needs to know? And how do I make that happen?” This led her to create People vs. Radon, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to increasing public awareness around radon risks and promoting policies that can help protect families.
“I wish someone had told me,” Cary said. “So, this is really about the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
With a 40-year background in advertising and marketing communications, Cary knew how powerful public education campaigns could be. She drew on that experience to organize an advisory board, launch awareness initiatives, and plan a public service campaign focused on radon education. “I feel like I’m here for a reason,” Cary continued. “And my reason is to elevate the profile and stature of radon as a radioactive carcinogen.”
Getting the Word Out
Today, Cary spends much of her time speaking with community groups, participating in media interviews, and encouraging people to test their homes. One of the biggest misconceptions she encounters is the belief that lung cancer only affects people who smoke. Cary reminds others that, “anyone who has lungs can get lung cancer.”
She also emphasizes that radon levels can vary dramatically from house to house. “You won’t know if you have radon until you test,” she said. “My house could be fine, and yours could not be even though it's right next door.” Radon can also enter both new and old homes and homes with any type of foundation.
Which is why her most important message is simple and actionable. “Test, know and fix,” she exclaimed. “You don’t know until you test so you must do so. Know what your radon test reading means. And then, if mitigation is needed, you need to get that done as soon as possible because you’re saving lives; your life or the life of your loved ones.”
Beyond awareness, Cary hopes to see stronger radon-related policies and more consistent regulations across the country. She is working with advocates and policymakers to identify opportunities to improve protections for homebuyers, renters and homeowners.
For Cary, her work raising awareness about radon has become a way to turn a devastating diagnosis into something positive. While she cannot change what happened to her, she can help ensure that more people understand a risk that often goes unnoticed.
Blog last updated: October 20, 2026
