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Stacey stubs it out - after 29 years

Helen Clifton
14/ 8/2008

DESPITE working as a manager in Heywood’s stop smoking clinic, Stacey Kiernan still managed to get through up to 20 cigarettes a day.

But after 29 years of smoking, the 44-year-old mum-of-one decided to ask one of her colleagues at the Taylor Street clinic to help her quit.

More than two months ago she started attending stop smoking sessions run by Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust (HMRPCT) during her lunch hour – and gave up immediately.

Stacey hasn’t touched a cigarette since and says she feels wonderful.

"I am really proud of myself," she says. "29 years is a long time.

"It is wonderful, absolutely wonderful. I don’t smell anymore. It’s so nice to put on fresh clean clothes that still smell fresh at the end of the day."

Stacey, who started smoking when she was 15, was encouraged to give up by her anti-smoking son Joshua, 17, as well as last year’s public smoking ban.

"I didn’t really smoke much during the day and during working hours, but I would have one as soon as got in the car home in the evening," she explains.

"I used to have around 10 to 20 a day, and obviously if I went out in the evening I would have more.

"I’ve not been able to smoke in public places, and my son has been bothering me for months to stop smoking. He’s very anti-smoking himself. I suppose it’s not the done thing anymore, and people are just more anti-smoking nowadays."

Stacey started attending classes run by Hayley Greenwood, the clinic’s Stop Smoking Adviser, from 1.30 to 4.30pm every Tuesday.

And even though she says she received fantastic support from HMRPCT staff, Stacey adds that will power is crucial to quitting.

She says: "Hayley has been fantastic – but you have got to want to stop in the first place. I found the clinic really helpful.

"They take you through all your options, and the help and advice is there if you really need it."

Stacey also used nicotine replacement patches and an inhaler designed to suppress cigarette cravings in her bid to quit.

But although she still uses patches, she has now reduced the dosage levels of her patches from 15mg to 5mg, and is coming to the end of the course.

And, Stacey adds, she didn’t find giving up half as tough as she originally thought she would.

"I found it fine. It has been absolutely brilliant. The will power has got to be there, but I have had no problems. People say you get really bad side effects – but I feel really good in myself. It’s the best thing I have ever done."

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