With support and determination- Sarah’s story

Sarah chose to quit smoking after her health began to suffer. Persistent coughing, body pain and concerns about her skin made her realise smoking was taking a real toll. Although she had managed to quit before, a brief relapse left her frustrated and determined to seek help again.

“My health was the main reason I knew I had to quit. I was coughing a lot, my body ached and my skin was awful. I’d stopped smoking before for seven months, but one cigarette set me back and I was instantly annoyed with myself. What frustrated me the most was that there wasn’t even a reason to relapse — I knew straight away I’d regret it.”

We offer nine 30-minute sessions with a Stop Smoking Coach delivered over 12 weeks to provide support at every step of your quit attempt. Your Stop Smoking Coach will create your personalised quit plan involving the latest evidenced-based behavioural change approaches.

“I was actually relieved to get back in touch with the service because I knew I needed support. I chose to use patches and gum this time, and every session gave me more knowledge. Each time I spoke with my advisor, Carol, I learned something new that helped me stick with it — that knowledge made a massive difference.”

“One of the hardest challenges I faced during my quit journey was the bereavement of a family member. It was an incredibly emotional time, but instead of turning back to smoking, I kept myself busy. Having something else to focus on really helped me get through those difficult moments without reaching for a cigarette.”

“The service has been really brilliant. Carol has been amazing and gave me everything I needed to succeed. I’m now 12 weeks smokefree and feel so much better for it. I’ve even been able to put the money I used to spend on smoking towards a monthly contact lens subscription, something I couldn’t afford before — which really shows how far I’ve come.”

“Quitting hasn’t always been easy, but with the right support and determination, I’ve proved to myself that I can do it — and I’m committed to staying smokefree.”