Read Time: 7 minutes
A Mission Born at Home: Kerri Robbins’ Ongoing Advocacy for Radon-Related Cancer Testing
Takeaways:
- Radon exposure is a serious but preventable cancer risk. Testing once is not enough because radon levels can change over time.
- Patient advocacy can drive meaningful public health change. Kerri’s lived experience has helped elevate radon awareness statewide.
Impact: Through clinical expertise, patient advocacy collaboration, and public education, Huntsman Cancer Institute is helping expand radon testing awareness across the Mountain West and turning cancer prevention into a multistate effort.
When Kerri Robbins and her husband moved to Lehi, Utah, in 2018, everything felt right. Kerri had landed her dream remote job, they found a home they loved, and they were close to three of their grown children. Life felt settled and full of promise.
Just four years later, everything changed.
In June 2022, Kerri started her Friday morning with a short treadmill workout. After about 20 minutes, she began coughing and suddenly felt confused and disoriented. At the insistence of her husband and daughter, she went to the emergency room. Imaging revealed a brain tumor—and then another. Further testing led to a diagnosis Kerri never expected: stage 4 lung cancer in a lifelong non-smoker, with tumors in her brain.
“I felt no different from the day before,” Kerri recalls. “It didn’t make sense.”
Two months later, Kerri contacted Wallace Akerley, MD, director of the Lung Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah. He asked a simple but life-changing question: Had she tested her home for radon?
Kerri had heard the word “radon” before, but she didn’t know it was something she needed to worry about. “I assumed it didn’t apply to me,” she says.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms in soil and can accumulate inside homes. It is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and the leading cause among non-smokers. In Utah, the risk is particularly high—about 1 in 3 homes has radon levels above the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) action level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L).
When Kerri tested her home, the results were shocking: nearly 32 pCi/L.
“I loved my home,” she says. “To find out it was my home that caused my cancer was devastating.”
"If sharing my story helps even one family avoid what I’ve been through, it’s worth it"
Treatment, Stability, and New Challenges
Kerri underwent radiation treatment, and her home was quickly mitigated. Today, her radon levels are rarely above 1.0 pCi/L. Her lung tumor has never caused further issues, the cancer did not spread to her lymph nodes, and her lung scans remain clear. She continues on the original immunotherapy drug she was prescribed, with lung scans every six months.
The brain tumors, however, have been more complicated.
In July 2024, Kerri experienced a silent seizure—though she didn’t realize it at the time. While having lunch with friends, she sensed something was wrong. Her thoughts felt slower, and she struggled to find words. The next morning, during a walk with her husband, it became clear something had changed. At the hospital, doctors ruled out a stroke or brain bleed and determined she had experienced a seizure.
Just days later, Kerri and her husband were scheduled to leave on an Alaskan cruise with friends. After consulting with her neurologist, she was encouraged to go. She did—and had a wonderful trip, listening to her body and resting when needed.
Then, while preparing for a family reunion in Idaho, Kerri had another seizure and was hospitalized. Additional imaging revealed four small brain tumors, one of which was inoperable due to its location. She was placed on a stronger anti-seizure medication, which left her with very little energy and unable to drive for months.
In March 2025, Kerri was weaned off the medication. After waiting three more months, she was cleared to drive again.
“I walked four miles every morning,” she says. “I know that physical activity helped me keep progressing cognitively.”
Now, Kerri continues to move forward. She doesn’t feel 100%, but she’s realistic—and grateful. She walks about 14,000 steps each morning at an indoor track and belongs to a virtual walking group where she earns medals for miles logged.
“My kids have always said I’m a magpie—I love bright, shiny things,” she laughs. “These medals are no different. But they get me up and moving, and that matters.”
In December 2025, Kerri traveled to New York City with two of her grown children and two grandchildren. Seeing the Statue of Liberty—a lifelong dream—was especially meaningful. She recently turned 69.
“Life is good,” she says.
Why Radon Awareness Still Matters
Kerri firmly believes that every home needs three things: a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector, and a radon detector.
Even homes that initially test below the EPA action level are not guaranteed to stay that way. Radon levels can change over time due to soil movement, weather, seasonal shifts, or mechanical failures.
Kerri knows this firsthand.
One summer evening, her kitchen radon monitor suddenly read 5.0 pCi/L. Her husband checked the mitigation fan and discovered it wasn’t running. Earlier that day, a breaker had tripped in the garage—unbeknownst to him, the mitigation fan was on the same circuit. Without a continuous radon monitor, they might never have known.
Similar stories keep reinforcing her message. A neighbor once discovered their fan wasn’t running only after going outside to take a photo—having no idea how long it had been off. Kerri’s daughter in Kansas tested her home in November with acceptable levels, bought a radon detector, and watched it spike to nearly 11 pCi/L the following July. With two young children at home, they immediately mitigated.
“That’s why you can’t just test once and forget it,” Kerri says. “You need a detector so you always know.”
Turning Experience into Action
Since her diagnosis, Kerri has become one of Utah’s most passionate radon awareness advocates. She has spoken at libraries, community events, medical offices, and the Utah State Capitol alongside Dr. Akerley. She’s hosted booths at events like the Huntsman Cancer Foundation SportsFest, appeared on Good Things Utah, and continues distributing free radon test kits.
In November 2025, she wore a “Cancer Fighter” sash every day at the indoor track in Lehi, starting countless conversations. In 2026, she’ll help at a STEM event at Lehi Junior High School.
Kerri is also pushing for broader national awareness. She hopes to share her story with networks like Home & Garden Television (HGTV) and urge everyone to include radon testing in renovation programming—just as asbestos testing is routinely mentioned.
“If there were more national programming talking about radon, I would have known to test when I moved to Utah,” she says. “If sharing my story helps even one family avoid what I’ve been through, it’s worth it.”
A Simple Message That Saves Lives
Kerri’s message is unwavering: Every home deserves to know its radon levels.
Test regularly. Use a continuous monitor. Fix problems immediately. Talk about radon—even when it feels uncomfortable or repetitive.
Whenever she has the chance, Kerri tells others to test their homes for radon. “If I’m in the grocery line, and you’re standing behind me, I turn around saying, ‘Hey, have you had your home tested for radon?’” Kerri says.
Kerri even hands out business cards printed by Utah Radon Services with a QR code linking to home radon tests. She says many of the people she speaks to have no idea what radon is or that they need to test for it.
As Kerri continues her scans, her walks, her travels, and her advocacy, she carries one guiding belief with her: Awareness saves lives—and sometimes, it starts right at home.
Testing for radon is easy and inexpensive. If you live in Utah, order a test kit at radon.utah.gov or buy one from any home improvement store. If you are buying a new home, buy a test kit through a certified appraiser.
