A WOMAN is set to bring her own experiences of the terrible effects of smoking to a new drop-in clinic in Ashbourne.
Lynn Wood, 55, watched her father’s health deteriorate over a number of years before his death - while his non-smoking twin brother continues to thrive.
The death of her father inspired Lynn to kick the habit herself and she now runs a series of Stop Smoking clinics around the Derbyshire Dales, with the latest starting in Ashbourne on Wednesday, September 1, running from 11am to 2pm at Ashbourne Ex-Servicemen’s Club.
Lynn, a mum of one, was a “committed smoker” herself and despite a number of attempts to quit, finally did so through the help of her local Stop Smoking Service.
Her father Gordon, who died aged 73, suffered a catalogue of health problems in his last years and Lynn is determined to warn smokers of what could be in store for them in the years to come.
She said: “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.”
Giving up was not easy. Lynn had started smoking at the age of 15, but seeing her uncle Ron continuing to live a full and active life into his 80s and visiting his holiday in America twice a year, proved to be inspiration she needed.
Lynn added: “I smoked my last cigarette at 11.30am on March 31, 2001, and I really, really haven’t wanted once since.
“I think about it from time to time but I’m the sort of person that if I just had one, I’d be back on 20 a day in a week, so I just won’t do it.”
“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.
“It’s never too late to want to stop and give it a go.
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 already outlived dad by nine years. That’s what people stand to gain if they make the effort.”
