​*This client wishes to remain anonymous

The possibility of not receiving the hip surgery I so desperately need was the motivation I needed to kick my habit of over 50 years.

I started smoking when I was 16. Like most people say, smoking was normal then – my father smoked, my five siblings smoked. I’m proud to say we have all given up now!

Back then, I really thought I could drop it any time I liked. Life went on and I continued smoking because I enjoyed it. They were really cheap then too. We all had jobs so money wasn’t really an issue.

I’ve smoked my entire life. It became ingrained into my lifestyle before I’d even realised it had happened. I smoked tailor-made cigarettes for years but when they started to become more expensive I switched to roll-your-owns.

I tried to stop smoking on numerous occasions but it turned out I couldn’t stop as easy as I thought I could. Nothing ever worked – I even tried hypnosis. The longest I stopped was probably a couple of weeks.

My motivation came when I was told last year that I couldn’t get hip surgery until I stopped smoking. I’m in desperate need of a hip replacement! One of the nurses at my medical practice put me in touch with the Southern Stop Smoking Service and I was put in touch with the Otago coach, who started visiting me at home.

The coach was helpful and encouraged and motivated me. She was positive, which in turn helped me to remain positive.

As it turns out I was allergic to the patches, so instead of using NRT, I opted for vaping. I had already cut down to only about 5 cigarettes a day by that point so I found the switch quite easy. Now I’m looking forward to coming off the vape.

I have had one or two cigarettes since I stopped smoking 7 months ago, but it turns out I don’t actually like smoking now.

I am now looking forward to my hip surgery, which I have now been told will happen in the very near future.

Kara Holmes, Dunedin resident

My first cigarette tasted disgusting but I forced myself to keep going.

It was a social thing. You had to smoke if you wanted to be “one of the cool kids.” It made me feel so grown up at 15 and it wasn’t even expensive back then.

It was actually quite widely advertised. I remember once going to Australia on holiday with my family and being handed free cigarette samples in the mall!

Smoking was everywhere, so I just continued. For me, I used it as a motivational tool – I’ll just have a cigarette and then I’ll do it. I would smoke more than a 30gram per week and spend roughly $100.

I tried to stop smoking a number of times over the years but I never went more than a day or two.

When my daughter turned three she became a little mischievous and I remember she would say things like “go outside and have a smoke Mum.” The only reason she was saying that was so that she could be naughty out of view.

That was it, I thought, time to stop for good! I was lucky that whilst in hospital having my second child I was referred to the Southern Stop Smoking Service. I had heard about the service when I was pregnant but at that point I just couldn’t face not smoking.

It was actually easier to continue smoking than to think about stopping. But, once I had made my mind up that was it, and the Otago coach came to see me.

She was supportive, non-judgmental, and could relate having stopped smoking in the past herself. She helped me to formulate a plan and showed me how to use the patches properly. I found it helpful to have someone to be accountable to and, being the competitive person I am, constantly trying to get a lower number on the Co machine.

With the assistance of patches and gum, I have been smoke free now since November. I don’t miss it at all and in fact when I smell it on someone who has been smoking, it really puts me off it.

I had a persistent cough that’s now gone, so that’s a huge bonus. But the biggest bonus for me is that my children won’t remember me as a smoker!