Today is the day

Steph, 59, was smoking up to 50 cigarettes a day but quit during a stay in hospital.

“I was around 14-years-old when I started smoking as it seemed to be the ‘in thing’ with most of my friends.”

Relationship with smoking
I smoked for many years throughout my life. I’d tried patches, gum, Champix and support groups to help me go smoke free and the Champix tablets did work for a while but it didn’t last.

By the time I was 49-years-old I was smoking up to 50 a day with poor health and breathing issues including angina and asthma.

Why quit
In 2011, I was taken to Scunthorpe hospital with chest pains. They kept me in for two nights and allowed me home as it was an angina attack. The following week I was taken back into hospital and I said to my husband ‘if they keep me in, that’s it, I’m stopping smoking’…they kept me in for a week and I haven’t touched a cigarette since.

Tools to quit
Although I’d tried nicotine replacement therapy and support groups in the past, it was the hospital stay and the support they have me that really helped me to quit for good. I found it very easy to stop and being in hospital gave me a good start.

Changes
I quit nine years ago and my breathing problems are a lot better for not smoking. I turn 60 this year and I may not have made this milestone if I’d carried on smoking.

Quit Together
I hope by sharing my story this will help others to quit.