About Charles
Based in Morristown, NJ, Charles Licastro is a highly successful home improvement specialist who values family and community above all else. He grew up learning about all aspects of building and masonry from not only his family but those within the industry that he knew from his neighborhood. Charles continued the family legacy of top-notch work and founded a thriving home improvement industry that has been serving his community for over four decades.
As a man who is more involved than most in his community, it comes as no surprise that Charles Licastro is deeply involved in causes that may affect those around him. He frequently makes donations to the Make a Wish Foundation and the ALS Foundation as well as causes such as cystic fibrosis. However, Mr. Licastro is especially committed to heart and lung health after a personal scare with cancer.
Recently, Charles Licastro went to his doctor for a routine visit and was referred to a specialist who ultimately diagnosed him with lung cancer. Charles was blown away and deeply affected as he had never smoked. He sought a second opinion only to discover he, in fact, did not have lung cancer at all. This brush with the possibility of cancer or even death led him to become an advocate for early detection, prevention, and treatment of the disease.
Charles Licastro is passionate about educating people on the risks of lung cancer and other diseases. After losing his sister, Maria, Charles also became more aware of the impact people’s decisions have on their health. Maria was a longtime smoker, which drastically increased her risk for contracting lung cancer. After her diagnosis, Maria denied that she had cancer, causing valuable time to be wasted. By the time she came around, it was too late. Maria passed away at the age of 51.
Charles does not want another person to experience what his family went through. It is important to him that people exposed to cigarettes (either by smoking or living around smokers) or radon speak with their doctor about their risk of cancer. Charles is also of the mindset that people should be checked out if they have any suspicion that their health is faltering. When something doesn’t seem right, book an appointment, even if it seems unnecessary. It is better to be overly precautious than to find out too late.
Due to this experience, Charles Licastro remains committed to living a healthier lifestyle and is fortunate enough to work in the home improvement industry where he is active on a near-daily basis. His grandchildren are a strong motivator for staying healthy and energetic enough to keep up with them and watch them grow. Throughout his health journey, his family was his support and motivation, and they continue to assist him in his endeavors to help others battle health issues and raise awareness for causes that deserve more attention and funding.
Growing up in a community of masons and construction industry experts inspired Charles Licastro to use the knowledge he had amassed throughout his young adult life to pursue a career in home improvement. He founded his own company and expanded from his small operation in his family’s house to a small shop to a large showroom today. After over 44 years of operating his business, Charles Licastro continues the family tradition and enjoys every second spent helping others by improving their homes. In his spare time, Charles Licastro spends time with his wife, two children, and two grandchildren. They all share a love of travel and frequent their family home on the Jersey Shore and vacation every summer together in Florida, where Charles loves to boat, fish, and just spend time in the great outdoors.
Talk to Your Doctor About These Lung Symptoms
There are a great number of diseases that can cause the body to fail. Of these pathogens, many of them target the respiratory system as their method of causing ill health. The most common deadly diseases that can affect the lungs include lung cancer, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and more.
If any of the below apply, don’t just shrug it off. Make a call to a medical professional and get a proper diagnosis.
Common Signs Something is Wrong
Chronic Chest Pain
While sudden chest pains aren’t always an indicator of something overly harmful, there are cases where this can be an immediate health issue. Other than sudden pains, pain that lasts longer than a week may be the first sign of a serious medical condition.
Medical Conditions Related to Chest Pain
- Pleuritis: An inflammation of the lungs or chest caused by viral or bacterial infections. The pain is commonly described as sharp and is accompanied by shortness of breath.
- Pneumonia: A type of lung infection, people suffering from this often speak of a deep ache in their chests combined with fevers and shakes.
- Pneumothorax: While most often caused by bodily trauma, lungs can sometimes spontaneously deflate on their own. Symptoms include sudden chest pains, a dry cough, and shortness of breath.
Coughing
While seemingly harmless, a cough that won’t go away likely points to an infection or damage to the lungs. Instead of hoping that it goes away on its own, seek the help of a medical professional.
Medical Conditions Related to Coughing
- Influenza: Coughing that can last three weeks or more is a main symptom of the flu beyond a fever and a runny nose. While it often isn’t life-threatening in adults, children and the elderly are in greater danger of permanent harm.
- Hay Fever: This common condition caused by allergies can mask itself as a common cold. Patients often complain of a dry cough on top of other flu-like symptoms.
- Bronchitis: An infection that inflames the airway, coughing is generally accompanied by a fever. This disease will generally last for a week or two and can be dangerous if left untreated.
- Pulmonary Embolism: This is a possibly life-threatening condition where a blood clot makes its way into the lungs. Signs can include coughing and a sudden shortness of breath.
What Information to Bring to a Doctor’s Appointment
There are four simple documents to bring when going to get a medical checkup.
- A copy of a person’s medical records.
- A list of any prescribed medicines, over the counter medicines, herbs, supplements, and other treatment methods.
- The professional information of other healthcare providers and the reasons they were sought.
- Record of any symptoms and any treatment methods that have previously helped.
Lung problems are nothing to brush aside, as even a minor symptom can expand into a larger issue. If your symptoms persist or get worse, contact your doctor or go to an urgent care center to get checked out.
Lung Cancer: Part One – A Deep Dive In Understanding What It Is
Lung cancer has impacted the vast majority of society in one shape or another with one person out of 16 being diagnosed with lung cancer in the United States. The chance for a man to develop lung cancer is 1 in 15, with a 1 in 17 chance for women. It is the number one leading cause of death for cancer patients—and your risk increases significantly if you decide to smoke. It is a disease that impacts many but is still poorly understood in many ways.
The Definition of Cancer
Lung cancer consists of abnormal cells that rapidly grow within the lungs. The out of control cells invade other parts of the body and create tumors. While the cells start within the lungs, they spread to other lymph nodes in other areas. The disease directly impacts the respiratory system and leaves damage in its wake. There are two forms of cells: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). The SCLC grow faster and have a higher chance to spread compared to their counterpart.
The Cause?
Cancer can result from multiple different factors, though there is one that stands out as a majority cause. 80% of cases are caused by smoking. It can also develop in those that have been exposed to other substances such as asbestos, radon, or radioactive dust. Another cause of the ailment can come from gene mutations that occur as people age. In regards to smoking, the longer and more often you smoke, the higher your chances of it developing. The moment that you stop smoking or cut down will diminish the possibility, but that depends on how much you smoked previously.
How Do You Prevent it?
The first step is just to stop or reduce the amount that you smoke—a daunting task for many. Visit the American Cancer Society’s website for more information on how to get started. Avoid secondhand smoke and jobs that bring you direct contact with arsenic, or asbestos. Ensure that the levels of radon in your home are minimal. Radon is a radioactive gas that is released from soil, natural gas, and certain building materials. You are unable to see or smell it, so hiring a professional or DIY kit to test the levels of your home is ideal. If you have dangerous levels of radon in your home, the first step is to prevent it from entering your home through sub-slab depressurization. This moves air underneath the foundation to vent the area and reduce in your home.
It’s important to understand what cancer is to treat it and prevent it. We have the opportunity to minimize our chances to develop the illness and should take every action to do so. Stay tuned for the conclusion of this two-part mini-series where we will discuss the symptoms of lung cancer and the next steps you should take.
Why Early Detection Is Key With Lung Cancer
Lung cancer doesn’t just impact you; it also affects those around you. Deaths caused by the lung disease lead in terms of cancer mortality for both men and women. In both genders, the disease is the second most common form of cancer. More deaths result from the lung disease than if you combine the deaths that stem from colon, prostate, and breast cancer. The bottom line is that lung cancer is a deadly disease and travels quickly.
Now, you should know that lung cancer can be prevented. This isn’t for every case; there are instances that individuals are diagnosed with lung cancer even though they have not been exposed to known risk factors.
Tobacco
The leading cause of cancer is smoking, with almost 80% of deaths from the lung disease believed to be linked to the activity. You increase your chances of lung cancer the longer you smoke. Don’t ignore the dangers that cigar and pipe smoking bring either; both are just as likely to cause the disease.
For those that don’t smoke, even being near other smokers poses a danger. Secondhand smoke is believed to be linked to 7,000 lung cancer-related deaths every year.
Radon
You cannot taste, smell, or see this radioactive natural gas, but it stems from when uranium breaks down from rocks. The gas is the leading cause amongst non-smokers for lung cancer. The radon levels in the environment are so low that it is not dangerous; but indoors is another story. The gas can be more concentrated, and breathing in even a small amount of it exposes your lungs and increases your risk.
These aren’t the only risk factors that you should be on the lookout for. Reduce your exposure to asbestos, chemicals and minerals, such as vinyl, chloride, and arsenic, and finally reduce the amount of air pollution you breathe in. You can do this by wearing masks that filter out air pollution as well as avoiding areas that can have unwanted chemicals without proper gear.
Yet, the most crucial piece of information that you should take from this article is that if you are diagnosed or you feel that something is wrong in your body, do not waste time getting it checked out by a doctor. Early detection is vital when it comes to lung cancer. It changes what you can do moving forward as well as what you should do. Early detection can help give you more treatment options.
My sister, Maria, passed away last year. She was only 51, was a longtime smoker and was unaware that she had cancer until she had an accident at work. Maria had fallen off a stool at work, and when she went to get a CT on her back, they discovered the lung disease. At first, she didn’t want to face what she had; she ended up losing precious time because of that.
Please, if you have any doubts or suspicions get checked immediately. Go to the doctor, see a lung specialist, don’t procrastinate on this.
In the memory of Maria, please don’t procrastinate.