Scott Brooks (pictured) from South Yorkshire is lending his support to Yorkshire and Humber’s first quit smoking campaign developed and filmed in the region.
Scott smoked for 25 years before quitting with support from his local stop smoking service after watching his mum die from COPD which was caused by smoking. He is now urging the 152,000 people who smoke in South Yorkshire to quit.
Scott, who turns 50 next month, knows first-hand the harm smoking can cause. His mum was diagnosed with COPD in her 50s and sadly passed away around 20 years later.
He said: “I watched my mum die from COPD which was caused by smoking. She struggled a lot and it wasn’t nice to see. I didn’t want my kids to go through that. I didn’t want them - or my grandkids - to see me that way, or for me not to be around for them.
“Smoking started taking its toll on my health soon after. I’m currently being assessed for bronchitis, and I knew continuing to smoke could lead to COPD. That’s when it really hit me - I had to do something if I wanted to be there for my family.
“Quitting is, not to be cheesy, but it is lifechanging – it changes how I behave, how I spend my time and the quality of my life. It’s not as hard as you think - especially with the right support. Take advantage of the help that’s out there and just give it a go.”
His plea coincides with the launch of the ‘Turn the Corner’ campaign which features mother and daughter, Wendy and Amy Robinson from Yorkshire and Humber who have both successfully quit smoking after Wendy lost her mum to COPD.
Turn the Corner is a collaborative campaign being coordinated by the Centre for Excellence in conjunction with all 15 local authorities across Yorkshire and Humber and Yorkshire Cancer Research, who are committed to reducing smoking and protecting local communities from the harms of tobacco.
The campaign, which launches this week and was filmed in the region and will run across TV, radio and social media – with a powerful message that every cigarette takes 20 minutes off your life.
Sarah Hepworth, Associate Director of South Yorkshire Tobacco Control Alliance, said: “Smoking is not a choice, but an addiction that starts in childhood and kills at least one in two long-term users: too many people in South Yorkshire still die early. This campaign is so important to inspire people to think about quitting once more, and to remind them that support is available locally. We offer a wide range of options to help people quit, including telephone, face-to-face and online support via our community Stop Smoking Services, alongside nicotine replacement therapy, Varenicline or a vape and now people can also access the Smokefree app too. This campaign shows that quitting smoking is one of the best things anyone can do for their health, and it’s never too late to make a positive change."
Tony Graham, Director of Retail, Services and Operations at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “It’s well known that smoking is strongly linked to lung cancer, but it is also a cause of at least 15 other types of cancer. As well as kidney cancer, smoking can lead to cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, bowel, ovary, cervix, breast and, in some cases, even leukaemia.
“It remains the biggest preventable cause of cancer worldwide, and its impact can often span generations when children grow up seeing smoking as part of everyday life. Wendy and Amy’s experiences show both the profound harm caused by tobacco and the powerful difference that quitting can make, not only for an individual’s health, but for the health and future of their family.
“Even after a cancer diagnosis, stopping smoking can significantly improve how well treatments work, support better recovery, increase the likelihood of survival and reduce the risk of cancer coming back. By standing alongside our partners in this campaign, we hope more people across Yorkshire and Humber will feel supported and encouraged to take a step towards a longer, healthier life.”
If you live in Yorkshire and Humber, you can get six months access to all features on the Smoke Free app for free, including nicotine replacement medication as part of the campaign, worth up to £300. Find out more at www.yestoquit.co.uk.
To find free, personalised support to stop smoking in Yorkshire and Humber, visit: www.yestoquit.co.uk
Find your free, local stop smoking service in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham or Sheffield at https://smokefreestarts.co.uk/.