Manitoba Lung Association recommends home radon testing as winter approaches

November is Lung Month in Canada, and as many shut their doors and close their windows for the winter season, the Manitoba Lung Association wants people to know the best practices for keeping up the air quality in your home.

“We want to draw attention to it and promote healthy breathing and self management of health issues as much as we can,” said Neil Johnston, CEO and president of the Manitoba Lung Association.

Johnston says it’s the time of year when people should consider testing their homes for radon, which is the 2nd leading cause for lung cancer behind smoking.

“The possibility for radon to build up increases. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. Manitoba is a hot spot for radon gas. It’s about 20 to 25 per cent of homes in Manitoba have high radon levels,” said Johnston.

Johnston says being aware of air quality is important, as 1 in 5 Manitobans develop lung issues.

In 1998, engineer Dennis Woodford was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and given five years to live. Now at 78-years-old, and 12 years post-lung transplant, he does everything he can to keep his lungs healthy.

“I would run a lot and I would ride a bike a lot, and I found I was slowing down. My breathing was troubling,” said Woodford.

“Every morning I have to do a breathing test to see how much air I can blow out in one second. And I can blow out as much today as I could 8 or 10 years ago. It is incredible because the average life post-lung transplant is 10 years, plus or minus.”

Woodford says his journey wasn’t easy. It took around a year to get diagnosed, and even longer for the transplant.

“So I lasted 13 years until 2011. And then I knew the end was very close. Then on Easter morning, April 2011, I got a call from the surgeon who says come on down, we’ve got a couple lungs for you,” Woodford explained.

“I was in recovery and the nurse says, Mr. Woodford! Mr. Woodford, can you breathe? Can you breathe? And I thought, what a silly question, not knowing what had happened. But I could breathe.”

Woodford says he keeps up his lung health daily. He goes to the gym and rides his bike, exercising at least an hour a day.

“I remember I was at the gym and a gentleman came up to me and he says ‘I’ve been watching you, and you’re so well and so good compared to the way you were a couple of months ago.’ I went ‘oh, that’s good!’ By getting that gym exercise, that I think had a big factor in how well I can carry on.”

Johnston says burning candles, cleaning sprays, and perfumes can affect breathing. He recommends using venting fans in the house and keeping furnaces maintained with high-efficiency filters.

“The number one thing that I tell people is (a) cough is never normal. So if you experience a new cough or if you have a chronic lung health issue and your cough changes, that’s a sign that you need to maybe think about what’s going on and take additional steps,” said Johnston.

Johnston says if people want to get involved with the non-profit charity, its annual Christmas Seals campaign is back.

He says if people need support for lung-related issues, to contact the association for resources and support groups.

Meanwhile, Woodford says he’s grateful he’s been able to defy his five-year prognosis and will continue supporting others with lung issues for as long as he can.