Smokers are urged to kick the habit in October

8:00am Friday 11th October 2013 in News

QUIT smoking for 28 days to add up to seven days to your life is the message from Stoptober organisers.

The annual campaign encouraging smokers to stub out their fags during the month of October saw 160,000 people complete the challenge last year.

The Warrington Guardian speaks to three people who have quit in the last year thanks to the help of Livewire in Warrington as current figures estimate 21.3 per cent of adults in the town still smoke.

MUM Donna Pooley said she was inspired to quit by her three-year-old daughter.

The 28-year-old, from Birchwood, smoked 15 cigarettes a day since she was 16 but after attending a stop smoking clinic in Oakwood and using patches she has not touched a fag for six months.

She said: “My daughter Katelyn was the main reason for me quitting.

“i wanted to live the rest of my life and see her grow up.

“I haven’t really saved any money because the cash I would have spent on them I have spent on my daughter instead.

“I missed them most after a meal or if I was on the phone to my auntie when I could hear her lighting up.

“I have got more energy now, I can taste my food better and I’ve got more time with my daughter rather than running out to smoke.

“I can’t go back now as everyone has said I’ve inspired them and my mum is trying to quit now too.”

FORMER smoker David Scott found quitting was most tricky after meals and walking his dog but has now swapped fags for apples.

The 69-year-old has now not had a cigarette since the end of February and has saved £1,500 which has gone towards spends for holidays in Corfu and Turkey.

The former fork lift truck instructor, who previously smoked 20 to 30 a day, said: “I started when I was 16 because it was the trend and what everybody else did.

“I got to the point where I just had enough and my doctor referred me to a stop smoking clinic.

“I was on tablets which make you feel sick if you have a cigarette so I used to think 10 minutes of pleasure smoking wasn’t worth the hour of feeling sick.

“Within eight weeks I had stopped smoking all together.

“It was hard work and you need to have will power but I tell people now think cash, not ash.

“One of the nurses at the care home I work at part time as a gardener said they will be quitting during October because I’ve done it.

“I still want one now and again but I feel much better.”

FOR granddad Kevin Humphreys, stubbing out his habit was a matter of life or death.

The 40-a-day Birchwood man was warned by doctors of the importance of stopping after being diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

The 59-year-old added: “I had tried to quit a few times but the most it lasted was six months.

“In the past I had just been trying to do it myself but this time I had the no smoking clinic and my family helping me.

“The doctor more or less said give up smoking or give up living and my grandchildren would shout at me if I tried to light up.”

Livewire Stop Smoking Service hold informal drop-in groups and one-to-one session’s throughout Warrington through the week, evenings and weekend.

For more information call 0300 003 0818 or visit livewirewarrington.co.uk/lifestyles.