Free ‘stop-smoking’ courses to begin for women in the autumn
By William O'Connor
The Irish Cancer Society has launched the latest round of We Can Quit – its free smoking cessation programme – in Clondalkin. The course helps local women to join forces and quit smoking together.
Women from Clondalkin are invited to sign up for the course now which will commence on 10 September.
Participants in the most recent We Can Quit course in Clondalkin celebrate at their graduation ceremony earlier this year. From left – (back row) Mandy Kinsella, Pamela Williams and Susan Desmond; (front) Edel Nolan, Eva O’Driscoll, Becky Fogarty, Tracey McKeown and Patricia Grace
Caitríona Reynolds, Community Cancer Prevention Officer at the Irish Cancer Society said, “We Can Quit has gone from strength to strength since it began in 2013. Over the last 6 years, over 465 women from Dublin have completed the 12-week course.
More importantly, many of them have managed to successfully quit smoking for good as a result of the initiative, so we know that the programme works.
“Giving up smoking is extremely difficult and a huge challenge for people, but We Can Quit offers women the support and encouragement to get through it.
“Through the programme, the women can access free NRT and a friendly network of like-minded women, as well as knowing that they have the full support of their community and the Irish Cancer Society behind them. We look forward to welcoming more women to our latest We Can Quit courses in Clondalkin, and seeing them graduate at the end of it.”
We Can Quit participants will attend weekly group sessions and receive one-to-one support during the 12-week programme. They will also be offered free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). Research has shown that smokers who use a combination of group support and two NRT products for a 12-week period are four times more likely to quit and stay smoke-free for good. Recent analysis shows that over half of all the We Can Quit participants had quit smoking at the end of the course.
We Can Quit is run in partnership with the HSE, SDCP Clondalkin Health House and Lloyds Pharmacy.
The programme is open to all female smokers living in Clondalkin who are over the age of 18 and are interested in quitting smoking. The course will commence in Rowlagh Community Centre on Tuesday, September 10 at 7pm.
Anyone who is interested in attending can register online at www.cancer.ie/wecanquit or phone Anne or Liz from the Clondalkin Community Health Initiative on 01 4570665.
