Radon Activist
Contact: Ben Graff
2832 Dover St.
Longview, WA 98632.
Phone: 360-608-2962.
Email: [email protected]
Board Member of Citizens for Radioactive Radon Reduction .
In 2013, my Mom, Kristine Graff, was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 62. She was a non-smoker who was very active and led a relatively healthy life style. As with many who are diagnosed with lung cancer; hers was a late diagnosis as she had had relatively few symptoms prior. She was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and the doctor gave her no hope of survival.
Her diagnosis was quite shocking, as she seemed an unlikely candidate. As the oncologist tried to give us answers, he asked if our house had ever been tested for radon. We had not heard of radon before. He explained that it was very prevalent in our area (Vancouver, WA), and should have her home tested.
We had her home tested, and the results were astonishing. We primarily tested the basement, which is where she had enjoyed spending her time in her quilting room. The testing in that area of the house came in at 14 pCi/L. As you know this is a very high level of radon, since the EPA recommends corrective action at 4 pCi/L or above.
We immediately called a radon mitigation company to come out and install a pump. After the pump was installed the house was retested, and I believe it registered under
1 pCi/L.
Unfortunately, this was too little too late. Her oncologist pursued a very aggressive treatment plan, and things looked bright for a moment. However, it ended up claiming her life only 3 short months later.
We all feel that she was taken from us far sooner than she should have been, and it could have been so easily prevented if we had only known. She was such a bright light to so many. We were completely shocked at how many people came to her memorial and told us of how she had changed their lives.
Although we feel she is in a better place now, we really wish this could have been prevented. We would like to try to help prevent this from happening to others in our area. We don't want our story to happen to others.
Thank you for all you are doing to spread awareness about radon and it's effects!
Citizens For Radioactive Radon Reduction would like to welcome our new members and thank our existing ones for their advocacy efforts.
To see the value in our efforts to save lives is one thing ... To do something about it is even greater!