Public Servant Lifestyle

With workplace smoking bans a hot topic across the sector a hard-hitting campaign on the impact of smoking related diseases has been launched.

A public awareness campaign from the Department of Health (DOH) aims to show the tragic consequences of smoking for one family. The emotionally charged campaign features a terminal lung cancer patient who has already chosen the plot where she will be buried. Forty three year old Trudi Endersby, along with her two daughters, Kia (aged 11) and Kirsti (aged 20) represent the thousands of families every year who are coming to terms with the devastating consequences of smoking. The campaign will run for six weeks across TV, radio and in the press.

This is being accompanied by new adverts featuring two quitters who successfully gave up using their local NHS Stop Smoking Services.

Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, said: "Many smokers are aware of the danger smoking poses to their own health, but do not consider the knock-on effect for their families and friends. I am confident that the uncompromising message of this campaign will hit home with many smokers. We also need to ensure that people are aware of the most successful ways to give up. That's why we've combined the campaign with adverts which promote the free help available through the NHS Stop Smoking Services. This support, when combined with Nicotine Replacement Therapy, offer smokers their best chance of success."

Lung Cancer

Trudi was 38 when she was first diagnosed with a particularly rare type of lung cancer called a Pancoast tumour - caused directly by smoking and inoperable. She has since developed a secondary tumour on her brain, requiring her to undergo a variety of invasive treatments including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, daily morphine and steroids. This tumour causes Trudi to experience dizziness, pins and needles, headaches and loss of balance. She could undergo brain surgery, but it is an extremely complex and high-risk procedure and the chances of success are minimal. Her doctors have warned that it is unlikely that she will survive for more than two years and could die at any time.

Trudi's eldest daughter, Kirsti, commented: "My family and I have to live with the consequences of smoking every day. For us it's too late to undo the damage caused, but I just hope our ads help to encourage those who do still have a second chance to take it and give up smoking for good. I'm an ex-smoker so I know how difficult it can be to quit, but I also know what it's like having to plan your own mother's funeral and help prepare your little sister for a life without her mum. Nothing is more difficult than that."

Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive, British Lung Cancer Foundation added: "Every year around 114,000 people in the UK are killed by smoking, it will kill one in two long-term smokers prematurely, half in middle age. Most will die from one of the three main illnesses associated with smoking: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema) Lung Cancer and Coronary Heart Disease. Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do to improve your respiratory health and help prevent these deadly diseases."

Trudi's campaign will be coupled with adverts featuring two real-life ex-smokers, Danielle Rigby and Omar Farook, who gave up smoking with the help of their local NHS Stop Smoking Service. These complementary adverts highlight the benefits of quitting with your local NHS Stop Smoking Service, which include the provision of non-judgmental help and support from trained professionals and a tailored, step-by-step programme to help you give up for good.

These adverts precede a forthcoming radio promotion, 'The Big Quit', which sees the NHS team up with commercial radio to launch a nationwide drive to encourage people to quit smoking for good with the support of their local NHS Stop Smoking Services. The campaign will run across 195 local radio stations throughout the UK.

The NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0 169) provides expert, free, and friendly advice to smokers and their families. The helpline is open between 7am and 11pm every day for information requests and referrals, with unlimited access to trained advisers giving one-to-one advice and support from 10am. Since its launch it has received over 1 million calls. A year after first calling the NHS Smoking Helpline, nearly a quarter of callers said they had successfully given up and were still not smoking.

NHS Smoking Helpline advisers can refer callers to a local NHS Stop Smoking Service offering ongoing free face-to-face support and advice near their own home. There are 178 throughout the country, offering a range of services including one-to-one meetings and group discussions with trained stop smoking advisers.

NHS Stop Smoking Services

More information available in Work Environment