After wife dies from non-smoking lung cancer, Utah man urges all to test for radon

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

Rachel Smith was a NICU nurse who took care of some of the most vulnerable lives possible until she received her own life-changing diagnosis—non-smoking lung cancer.

An avid gym-goer and mom of two, Rachel was the pinnacle of health before she came down with a cough that wouldn't let up. After a visit to the emergency room and a pneumonia diagnosis, tests revealed her body was fighting lung cancer at just 32 years old.

"We went through four different lines of treatment. She had a targeted therapy that didn't work. She went to chemotherapy; that didn't work. She went to immunotherapy and also radiation therapy, and none of that worked," Todd shared. "I had to say goodbye to her at the beginning of November [2023]."

Rachel had never smoked a day in her life. A lung cancer diagnosis made no sense until after her death when Todd began to research radon. He discovered radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and conservatively, one in three Utah homes has dangerous radon levels. The only way to detect radon is to test for it. "This is such an easy thing to test for - you have virtually nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain by being informed," explained Todd. UtahRadon.org is offering one free radon test kit per household. To receive one, fill out this form.

The impact of Rachel's passing

"Without [Rachel], I am broken," Todd told UtahRadon.org. "That said, it helps to talk about her, both for my own emotional perspective, and for the hope that it might be helpful to someone, someday." After losing Rachel, Todd jumped into advocacy for radon testing to help others avoid the same outcome.

Todd's job as an oncology nurse adds an extra layer of passion for protecting those from the loss of a loved one from non-smoking cancer. "As a nurse working in oncology, I can tell you that it's not just smokers that are developing lung cancer these days…it's also young, healthy individuals who had their whole lives ahead of them. The proven danger of prolonged radon gas exposure is nothing new, but the ability to mitigate that health risk has never been easier."

Todd and Rachel's children have shown an impressive level of resiliency and emotional intelligence, but the loss of a wife, mother, and daughter is painful for all involved. "I'm so proud of [my kids] in their ability to identify their emotions all while allowing themselves to be happy and hopeful. As for me, while I don't feel like I'm constantly suffocating anymore, I do realize that my heart is broken and I will forever have an emptiness inside of me."

What you need to know about radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that is present throughout the state of Utah. It is created when uranium in the ground decays, and Utah soil is riddled with uranium. After radon is released, it rises out of the ground and can enter homes through even the smallest pores and cracks in a foundation. If the gas concentrates inside and someone is exposed to it for a long enough period of time, there is a strong chance they will develop non-smoking lung cancer because radon changes the DNA in lungs.

One in three Utah homes have high radon levels—and some data shows it may be closer to one in two homes. The good news is if your home has a high radon level, a simple radon mitigation system can lower the concentration of the gas to safer levels.

As the anniversary of Rachel's death approaches, Todd encourages Utahns to test their home for the dangerous gas. It can't be detected by our senses, so it's important to complete a reliable test every two years. "Something like radon gas is something that you can avoid, that we can actually test for…if I could go back, if I could have prevented it, if there was anything I could have done, it would be worth it. No matter what. It would have been worth it to try and avoid that. If it can happen to my wife, it can happen to anybody."

Order a radon test today

All Utahns can receive a free radon test from UtahRadon.org by filling out a simple form. While radon is a major threat to the health of Utahns across the state, a devastating radon-induced lung cancer diagnosis can easily be avoided. Test your home and protect your loved ones today.

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