Utah has the nation’s lowest smoking rate, yet lung cancer remains the state’s deadliest cancer. Radon – an invisible, odorless carcinogen – may play a role. However, despite its known harms and reachable solutions, almost nothing is being done to protect Utahns.
In reporting on radon, I knew I had to do more than just tell a good story. People needed to feel invested in both the problem and the search for solutions.
To engage my community, I surveyed every school district and conducted radon testing in three elementary schools. I toured home construction sites and interviewed scientists, doctors and public health officials. I spoke with lung cancer survivors, current patients and family members who had lost loved ones. When my project was published, it immediately resonated among people who had been primed to listen and respond.
A few weeks later, the Deseret News hosted a Radon Roundtable. The never-before-convened group included two state legislators, an epidemiologist, oncologist and health educator, as well as businessmen, home building association members, a local PTA representative and state officials. Together, over sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies, we talked about solutions.