“[But] I don’t believe he could have been exposed to it long enough to suffer any long-term damage, as happened to the firefighters and other responders.” What Dr. Hunter claims most likely caused the condition that would eventually lead to the end of her life was smoking, a habit she gave up shortly after her early career. Performing in smoky clubs and around smokers could also have damaged her lungs, but Summer never wavered in her opinion. The NHS explains that smoking is the “single biggest risk factor for lung cancer”. It is responsible for more than 70 percent of cases, due to the various toxic substances present in cigarettes, which are known to cause cancer.
