Success of ‘We Can Quit’ programme shows half of participants gave up smoking
By William O'Connor
The Irish Cancer Society has launched the latest round of We Can Quit, its free smoking cessation course.
Recent analysis shows that around half of the total participants in the overall programme had quit smoking at the end of the 12-week course.
The new round of Dublin courses will begin throughout September in Tallaght and Dublin 8.
This is the fourth year that We Can Quit will run in Dublin. Women from all of the respective areas are invited to sign up for the programme, which is a free course which supports women in joining forces to quit smoking together.
Rachel Burke, Community Cancer Prevention Officer at the Irish Cancer Society said, “We Can Quit has gone from strength to strength since it was set up in 2013.
“Over the last four years, approximately 300 women from Dublin and Cork have completed the 12-week course and, more importantly, our analysis of the programme and its quit rate shows that it has very real and tangible results.”
“Giving up smoking is really hard, and we understand that, but We Can Quit offers women support and encouragement to get through it.
“Through the programme, women can access a friendly and supportive network of like-minded women who really understand what they are going through, and often they stay in touch and continue meeting up long after the course has finished.”
“Participants in the We Can Quit programme attend weekly group sessions and will receive targeted one-to-one support. The women will also be offered 12 weeks of 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.”
Carolyn Roche, a former We Can Quit participant from Tallaght, added, “I heard about the programme at the community centre where I volunteer and at the time I was smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.
“It was my third time trying to give up and the first two times I had continued smoking even with the nicotine patches on me.”
“I was determined to do it this time. I just took it one hour at a time and thought of the fact that when anyone gets on an airplane to go anywhere, they can’t smoke for hours at a time.
“I think that’s a good way to approach it. If I can do without them when I’m flying somewhere, I can do it all of the time.”
“The course was brilliant, especially the facilitator, Imelda. I was given as much support and time as I needed and she often took me to the side and explained things one to one.
“All of the women in the group supported each other and afterwards we started a Facebook group and we still meet up for coffee and a chat.
“I am a year and three months off the cigarettes now and I would never go back!”
We Can Quit is open to all female smokers living in the relevant programme areas, who are over the age of 18 years and are interested in quitting smoking.
DATES
Killinarden Community Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 24, commencing at 7pm on Wednesday 20 September
Donore Community and Youth Centre, Donore Avenue, Dublin 8, commencing at 7pm on Thursday 21 September.
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