October Is National Healthy Lung Month: Are You Armed With Knowledge?

Momma Told Me: Knowledge Fuels Prevention

If you've ever been to the doctor with a bad cough or some sort of lung pressure/pneumonia issues you've likely been asked if anyone in your family worked construction or mining, or if you've been exposed to asbestos. The average person wouldn't think twice about this question, and perhaps even laugh at the absurdity of a modern housewife, mother, businesswoman, etc being exposed to asbestos. Many of us would also be inclined to ask more, fairly ignorant on the issue ourselves. Most of us know asbestos is bad, true, but do we really understand the why and how of it?

When I was a tween my family moved from our condo into a newly manufactured home. One of the things Momma had been looking forward to most, as a survivor or Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma (cancer) was the relief of enjoying an air conditioned environment. During her fight with cancer Momma's immune system, and respiratory system had taken quite a hit, and having such a modern comfort greatly increased her comfort level.

Within a week of moving in, while dusting her new home, Momma began to notice a sparkly residue on some of the higher surfaces in our house. Alarmed, she sent my father up into the rafters immediately to inspect the ducts. As it turns out, an entire segment of our air ducts had not been connected and some of the insulating materials of our attic and walls were exposed to our air system! Crawling around in the attic and crawl spaces isn't something most new home buyers think to do when approving their new home.

As it turns out, as a modern American, this was not my only potential run-in with asbestos- 2 years back I decided to search my old appliances for recalls on a whim. I'd inherited some staples, such as toaster ovens and hair dryers from my parent's newlywed days. I was shocked to learn the name brand hairdryer I was still using, that day, had been recalled by the company for 'potential use of asbestos' in insulating elements.

Today, asbestos is still NOT banned in the United States, and can still be found in some buildings and consumer products in use today. These products and buildings were most often made in, or prior to, the 1970's, though global regulations may impact products being made today and moving in and out of the country, as well. Exposure to asbestos is currently the only known cause of the aggressive form of cancer known as mesothelioma, and has impacted the lives of those not in industries immediately handling products containing it.

If you suspect exposure to asbestos inform your physician so they can monitor your lungs and health accordingly. The best prevention to this form of lung cancer is knowledge- ensure you and your family are as safe as possible from asbestos and other lung contaminants by keeping up with product recalls, from the Consumer Product Safety Commission or Recalls.gov, and performing annual home inspections. October is National Healthy Lung Month, learn more about lung health and mesothelioma prevention and detection at www.mesothelioma.com. While the story above is my own, I would like to thank the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance for providing some of the facts used in this content and the info-graphic, I created, above.

Do you know someone impacted by mesothelioma? Have you ever discovered a product that potentially used asbestos?

What Daughter Says: October is National Healthy Lung Month, arm yourself with the facts and help fight lung cancer of every kind!