AN EX-SMOKER has opened a new quit smoking session in Ashbourne after watching the habit claim her father’s life.
Lynn Wood became a Stop Smoking Specialist Adviser for the Derbyshire County Stop Smoking Service two years ago.
Based at Babington Hospital in Belper, she runs quit smoking sessions in Heanor, Langley Mill and Cotmanhay, but has now started the new sessions in Ashbourne.
Lynn, a 55-year-old mother-of-one from Sunny Hill, Derby, says: “Because I had such a good experience with giving up I felt I could be supportive to other people.
“I don’t know how many people I’ve helped to quit since then but it’s quite a good percentage.
“I’ve had all ages, one was 14 and still at school and we’ve had people well into their 70s.” Lynn’s experience of quitting and memories of her father’s painful demise gave her the motivation she needed to try to help others.
Lynn has a daily reminder of her father Gordon’s slow and painful death after a lifetime of heavy smoking.
Gordon’s twin brother, Ron, gave up smoking in his 60s and now enjoys a full and active life in his 80s, visiting his holiday home in America twice a year and enjoying golf and driving.
However, Gordon died nine years ago, aged 73, after a long catalogue of health problems.
Lynn says: “That shows the contrast between stopping smoking and being stubborn and refusing to try to give up.
“My father was quite ill towards the end of his life.
“He had diabetes, several heart attacks and a couple of strokes and I knew that all these things were smoking-related even if not directly caused by it.
“I could see his health getting worse and worse and he was in and out of hospital.
“Each time he came out of hospital he would be a little bit diminished and never quite the same.
“Seeing that and how the quality of his life shrank towards the end really motivated me to stop.” Lynn had always sworn she would never smoke because both of her parents had smoked.
However, due to peer pressure, Lynn started smoking at the age of 15.
Lynn, who found giving up difficult, said: “I had several attempts, I tried on my own; I tried the gum thing.
“I was smoking at least 20 a day, maybe more if I was going out; I was what I’d call a committed smoker.” After seeing an article about the local Stop Smoking Service for groups of people, Lynn contacted them through the phone line.
Lynn said: “They gave you the support and information you needed to make an informed choice about the way you wanted to do it.” Lynn smoked her last cigarette at 11.30am on March 31, 2001 and has not looked back since.
Lynn adds: “It’s never too late to want to stop and give it a go, people can give up smoking.
“Sometimes it can take nine or 10 attempts people come back and say ‘I’ve fallen of the wagon’ but they can do it if they make their minds up, and they do do it.
“I think of my Dad and I just don’t want to see anyone suffer that kind of end to their life.
“Dad’s brother has had a good quality of life in the years since he quit smoking and has outlived dad by nine years.
“That’s what people stand to gain if they make the effort.” Lynn’s first drop-in session was on Wednesday, September 1 at the Ex- Servicemen’s Club in the Market Place from 11am to 2pm and will continue for another six weeks.
Anyone who wants to quit smoking or who is simply interested in finding out more can call 0800 085 2299.
