All Categories - Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust

Smoking Is Not Going To Control Me From Now On

8/3/2018

James Sinclair, 56, Balclutha

Instead of spending money on cigarettes, I brought steak this week for the first time in months.

I can afford it now that I’ve stopped smoking.

My name is James Sinclair and I have been smoke free for over a month.

It wasn’t an easy habit to break. I’ve been smoking since I was 13. Everyone was smoking at the time and I thought well, I’ll give it a try. I was hooked.

From that point forward I smoked about 20 tailor-made’s a day. Up until recently I was spending about $100 a week on my habit.

I was fed up with spending so much money, and I’d begun to notice my health deteriorating. I was always coughing and spluttering.

I spoke with a neighbour who was using an electronic cigarette and it had worked well for her, so I thought I’d try it too. I was then referred to the Southern Stop Smoking Service through Budget Advice and met with Anita Clouston. She would visit me at home, and was a massive support throughout my stop smoking journey.

I am continuing to use my e-cigarette, as well as patches, gum, and lozenges.

Life is so much better. I’m saving about $70 a week, and I find that I am able to sleep better and longer. My taste buds are back and my house smells so much cleaner. I don’t cough as much and I have heaps more spare time.

I am saving the money I spent on cigarettes and it will go towards renovations on my house.

Sometimes I miss smoking. I sometimes get cravings. But I won’t go back. I want to go forward! Smoking is not going to control me from now on.

I Wish I'd Never Started

13/11/2017

I wish I’d never started smoking, especially the second time around.

My name is Richard Hogan and I started smoking when I was about 13, gave up at 22, but started again two years later.

I am part of a band and I noticed that smoking, especially in the 90s, went hand-in-hand in the music industry. I’d stopped smoking after completing a cessation programme through my doctor – money and health were my motivators – but the social scene pushed me back into it.

I don’t know why I even entertained the idea of starting again. It was a huge mistake and I wish I’d never started.

I smoked about 13 cigarettes a day for another 10-15 years.

I smoked when I was stressed, or anxious, or nervous ahead of a gig. I smoked even more when I had a coffee, when I was driving, and when I was drinking alcohol.

I’ve been trying to stop for about six years. I’ve been on and off patches, and on and off cigarettes. I had the need and the want to quit but I didn’t have the support and I started to get fed up with trying.

At the perfect time my doctor referred me to the Southern Stop Smoking Service and I started going to group clinics at Nga Kete about six months ago.

I found it supportive, and it was good to talk to the coach and others who were in the same situation.

I used patches to stop smoking and I’ve been smoke free now for six months.

As well as the obvious financial benefits, I have really noticed huge changes in my skin quality and I've enjoyed having a sense of smell and taste again.

Working Towards A Smoke Free Worksite

31/10/2017

Lakes District Stop Smoking Coach Debbie Swain-Rewi with Shannon and James.

Triple Star employees James and Shannon have stopped smoking with the support of the Southern Stop Smoking Service on a worksite. Southern Stop Smoking Service Lakes District coach Debbie Swain-Rewi has been a regular visitor for the past year working with Triple Star employees and three subbies on a new development at Blanket Bay, near Glenorchy.

Debbie says “I would like to acknowledge the support Triple Star Management have given their staff. They were quick to come on board offering workplace smoking cessation for staff. I have presented at five different work sites, and worked with staff at three, gathering along the way those who smoked at the other two when they have moved sites. In total I have worked with twelve staff, mostly using NRT, but also supporting two using champix. We’ve discussed electronic cigarettes, vaping, relapses and celebrated successes with afternoon tea treats. There have been eight successful quits, and one has relapsed but is now back on track. Of the four who haven’t quit, two have greatly reduced, and I’m sure one will succeed!”

“Everyone is a winner when workplaces support these programmes. Triple Star is a large construction company, and now only four staff smoke. Collectively, they are a healthier workforce, and great role models for other workplaces, to their whanau, especially their tamariki. As well as this site productivity and bottom line business profits will be greater as healthier staff take less time off work on sick leave, non-smokers are more engaged and not always seeking an opportunity to light up, and injuries heal faster.”

Triple Star Project Manager Gary Ludlow says “It’s great news to hear the continued effort from the guys onsite to quit smoking, and by the Southern Stop Smoking Service to continually motivate and assist them in their enrolment and goals.”

“It’s also great to hear that they are going home discussing it with their partners spreading the word, and the coach discussing it with our contractors onsite and helping them as well. A really good catchment and I hope it continues to spread!”

“We would eventually like to make our sites completely smoke free, so this is a great step forward in making the guys onsite want the change, rather than us trying to enforce it. With only a small percentage of guys now smoking this looks a realistic goal.”

“It’s a great benefit to the guys onsite, their families and the company what the service is doing and achieving, please continue doing a great job, thank you.”

Triple Star employee James says:

I’m an athlete and I’ve always despised smoking.

I don’t know why I started. I was a teenager and I guess it was the social thing to do. Before I knew it, I was addicted.

My name is James, originally from Dublin, Ireland, now living in Queenstown and I’m 32-years-old.

I’ve always wanted to stop. I tried so many times but I just couldn’t. I wanted to stop for my health. I couldn’t breathe in the gym doing cardio!

An injury preventing my training but about five months ago I started again and it gave me the incentive to stop smoking. Ahead of this my workplace, Triple Star Construction, arranged the Lakes District stop smoking coach to come on site and she put in so much effort - I didn’t want to let her down!

I started using patches and I enjoyed the coach’s supportive, and encouraging nature. She also talked me through how to use the patches. It was nice to have someone who actually cared and was putting the effort in.

My last cigarette was about four months ago. I don’t miss it at all. I don’t even like the smell.

My energy levels are through the roof and my chest is clear. Financially it’s great and I’m now spending my cigarette money on a gym membership and protein shakes.

I’m delighted to have stopped smoking. I think the workplace support from the Southern Stop Smoking Service is brilliant because it’s harder on your own. A few of us at work have stopped and we’re all encouraging each other.

Triple Star employee Shannon says:

My name is Shannon, I’m 26-years-old, and I started smoking when I was a teenager.

Everyone was smoking so I thought I would too.

I smoked a packet of 20s a day and never had a real reason to want to stop. I’m not unfit, my health was never bad, but it became too expensive and I could no longer afford the habit.

I was spending about $150 a week and my partner was smoking as well.

The Lakes District coach coming to work made a big difference. She assisted me in getting Champix and I haven’t had a cigarette since December last year.

I’m now paying off old debt and I’ve noticed a large difference to the bank balance.

I don’t miss smoking at all.

Kerry Rusk

11/10/2017

Kerry Rusk and wife Donna

Kerry Rusk (of Gore) won one of our $100 grocery vouchers through a promotion the service run together with WellSouth throughout July and August.

Those who were referred to the service by either WellSouth or their GP were sent a letter, and if they engaged with the service between 03 July 2017 and 28 July 2017, and remained smoke free for August, they went in the draw.

Kerry had been smoking for 42 years and spending about $100 a week, but he never really enjoyed the habit.

This year his doctor advised him to stop smoking because of his cough and he was referred to the Southern Stop Smoking Service.

Although he had never attempted to stop smoking before, he eagerly met with the stop smoking coach and started using patches.

The coach talked him through the best use of patches and how he could make them work for him, he says.

“The desire was there to quit already. I have twin grand babies on the way and my partner, who also quit at the same time, has a granddaughter so we want to be around for them.”

The smokerlyzer was a great motivator as the pair really enjoyed the challenge to have the lowest reading, he said.

“I’m a very driven person. If I say I’m doing it, I do it!”

“The $100 voucher is a real bonus but I’m six weeks smoke free – I’m already winning.”

27 Years Of Quit Attempts

11/10/2017

Gary Cain, of Roxburgh, with Central Otago Stop Smoking Coach Alison Milne

My name is Gary Cain and I have been trying to stop smoking for almost three decades.

At 58-years-old I started noticing how badly smoking 60 grams of tobacco a week was affecting my health. I would cough through every cigarette and my wife told me I sounded like a crying baby at night because of my wheezing.

I’d been smoking since I was 13-years-old and I really enjoyed the habit but I knew I needed to do something about it. It hit the wallet hard too, and in the end I was spending about $200 a fortnight, sometimes more.

I tried to stop smoking in 1990. I tried chewing gum, I tried patches, I tried cutting back, I tried changing my habits. You name it, over the next few years I tried it.

Nothing worked. I really believed I was never going to be able to stop. The addiction was too strong. But I was determined to continue trying!

I had heard about the Southern Stop Smoking Service, and after a visit to the Medical Centre here in Roxburgh I was referred.

I met the stop smoking coach and she gave me the nicotine replacement therapy I needed and showed me how to use it properly.

That was seven months ago and I haven’t had one cigarette.

I sometimes sit there and shake my head and think a year ago I just would not have believed I’d be here. But, surprisingly, I didn’t find it a struggle and I’m amazed at how easy it was to stop smoking.

My son and son-in-law have even been encouraged by my success and they’ve also referred themselves to the Southern Stop Smoking Service!

I still consider myself addicted to nicotine because I have to wear the patches and suck the lozenges, but it’s been months now and I honestly can’t ever see myself having a cigarette again.

I don’t miss it at all.

More Incentive When Others Are Invested In You

13/9/2017

Some of the South Port stop smoking group.

A group of South Port staff members have joined together in their quest to become smoke free, and the Southern Stop Smoking Service challenges other workplaces to do the same.

The group of seven have come together through a weekly support network set up by the Southern Stop Smoking Service and aided by South Port, which have provided the time, place and support for their staff along with incentives to remain smoke free.

Each participant received a $50 grocery voucher at two weeks smoke free, and at six weeks all went in the draw to win a $250 prezzy card, supplied by South Port.

South Port Finance Manager Lara Stevens said health and safety is very important to the organisation, and the stop smoking group was a great health initiative for the company to support.

"We want to encourage staff to lead healthy life styles and to make good choices," she said.

Since the group's commencement all of its members are either smoke free or working towards it, as well as some of their family members.

Speaking to the group in its sixth week, each agreed the group setting was a large motivator, especially as it was genuine encouragement from people who smoked.

The Southern Stop Smoking Service staff had been non-judgmental and allowed the group to be in control of their own journey, they said.

“It’s so good that it’s here at work. It’s convenient. And whether you’re failing or succeeding it’s all good, there’s no judgement. We’ve got people to talk to, advice, no cost, and no hassle. If we didn’t have this group, none of us would be where we are.”

“When others are invested in you it gives you more incentive and it’s great having someone else keeping an eye on you and tracking your progress.”

Each of its members had attempted to stop smoking in the past.

“It’s good to hear of everyone else’s struggles, and to know we’re not alone in it. It’s been great to keep in touch outside the weekly group through text, emails and visits.”

The group plan to continue their Tuesday lunchtime meetings once the programme comes to an end.

They also intend to recommend and encourage others on site.

South Port Staff Member Sian Tarrant

One of the group’s members lives once revolved around smoking, but now she describes the habit as “gross”.

I smoked for 13 years – about 10-20 cigarettes a day.

I enjoyed smoking at the time. It allowed me to stop for five minutes a take a break. But eventually my life started to revolve around when my next cigarette would be.

I’d tried to quit several times. I’ve tried Champix and patches and I’d gone cold turkey - But nothing worked.

So when the opportunity to join the group at work came up, I thought I’d give it another go.

I’m now five weeks smoke free.

I’m enjoying not being tied down by the habit and having a ton of extra time, and eating and sleeping more.

All I could do when I first stopped was think about smoking but I’m not thinking about it pretty much at all now.

I'm Shocked At How Much I Smoked

13/9/2017

Paul Johnston, of Oamaru, is about to celebrate 100 days’ smoke free!

This is his story:
Chewing a packet of gum a day has saved me $400-$500 a week now that I don’t smoke.

I look back now and I’m absolutely shocked at the amount I was smoking. It was so much money!

I started when I was about 13. It was the “in thing” to do, and you didn’t hear about the health effects of it back then. It started off as a weekend thing with friends but of course it escalated.

I really enjoyed the habit and I’d never made any serious attempt to quit.

I was smoking between 40 and 50 tailor made cigarettes a day and spending up to $500 a week, if not more.

Earlier this year I visited my GP and he asked about putting me in touch with the Southern Stop Smoking Service. I said yes although I wasn’t really serious about it. The North Otago coach contacted me and I decided to go and see her.

We talked about cutting my smoking down to 15 a day for the first week, but I knew it had to be all or nothing or I never would have stopped.

I had two more cigarettes that day and that was it. That was 24 May and I haven’t had one since. I really surprised myself, I didn’t think I would do it just like that.

I’m not saying it was easy though. When I wasn’t thinking about work I was thinking about cigarettes but I just had to keep telling myself no. The first four or five weeks were especially hard.

I used the patches and gum supplied to me by the coach and found them helpful. The coach was also very helpful and supportive.

I feel so much better now. I’m not coughing anymore and life is so different now that it’s not ruled by cigarettes. I’ve been putting my spare money aside but I’m not sure what I’ll do with it yet.

I think about cigarettes occasionally now but not very often. I wouldn’t want to go back down that road again.

I’m absolutely rapt that I was able to stop smoking. I didn’t think that I’d be able to do it but I was prepared to give it a go. I’m so glad I did!

Smoke Free After 40 Years

18/8/2017

My name is Donna Rushton, I’m 55-years-old, and this is the first time I have been smoke free in 40 years.

And I feel great!

Smoking became a normal part of life for me from a young age. My father and late mother smoked and so once I got to boarding school I started too. I was 14 and I wanted to fit in with the cool kids who were smoking.

I never looked back. When I left school I worked in social welfare and back then you could smoke at your desk. It was everywhere. Cafes, restaurants, office buildings.

I moved to Southland in 1998, met my husband, and settled into rural life on the farm near Mossburn where I continued to smoke heavily.

I would smoke about 70 grams of tobacco a week and spent about $100. Some weeks it would be more.

I’d attempted to stop smoking in the past but I’d never been successful. I tried with zyban and patches but I was only ever able to cut down, not stop.

I decided earlier this year I wanted to try again and I was determined for a multitude of reasons. Part of it was money, part of it was struggling to stay active for my grandkids, part of it was my asthma.

One day my daughter told me she had seen a stop smoking coach at Nightcaps Playgroup, where clinics were being held. She had great success. I had been taking my granddaughter there and decided I would speak with the coach as well.

I’ve never looked back. I met with the coach in February and she signed me up to the Southern Stop Smoking Service and showed me how to use the patches properly.

She was incredibly understanding if I had a slip up. She was non-judgmental, positive, and encouraging, and I really liked that. With her, I felt as though there was no pressure and she was guiding me in my own journey.

Through her, I was able to quit and I have been smoke free since May.

I don’t really think about smoking now. It’s just not part of my day anymore. The patches were definitely the key and knowing how to use them the right way.

Stopping wasn’t as hard to stop as I thought it would be, and I’m so proud of my success.

Smoking Used To Be Everywhere

19/7/2017

**This client, based in Invercargill, wishes to remain anonymous

I’d never really considered how the smell of cigarette smoke would affect others.

Smoking used to be everywhere! I started smoking at the age of 15 and at the time everyone around me smoked - my parents, my friends, my classmates - so it never really seemed like an issue.

Once I started working there was a large group of us who would always go outside for a cigarette on breaks, but slowly the group began to dwindle and before long there were only a couple of us.

Then it was just me.

For the first time, I started becoming conscious of smelling like cigarette smoke and wondered how it would affect other people. I’d never given it any thought before.

I was smoking 10 to 15 cigarettes a day and spending about $100 a week.

But the money was hard on my young family and I noticed we couldn’t do some of the things we wanted to do or live the way we wanted to live.

I knew I needed to quit the habit but I had tried so many times and failed. Nothing ever seemed to work for me.

I heard about the Southern Stop Smoking Service so I thought I would get in touch.

The stop smoking coach showed me how to use the patches properly, which made a huge difference compared to my previous quit attempts. It actually felt easy!

I feel so much better, I am sleeping better and I don’t snore as much. I’ve got more energy and I’m much more productive with my time.

We’ve gone from living week-to-week to actually having a bit of spare money in the bank, and we’ve even booked a family holiday with the money once used to buy cigarettes.

I have had one cigarette in the past two weeks, but I am confident I will remain smoke free with the ongoing support from the Southern Stop Smoking Service.

One Day At A Time

3/7/2017

*This client, based in Central Otago, wishes to remain anonymous.

I don’t really know why I started smoking.

I was 16 and home alone and thought well, why not? Let’s try it. It didn’t take long before I was hooked. A lot of my friends were smoking as well, and although they never pressured me, it felt like the cool thing to do.

Apart from briefly stopping during pregnancy, I have smoked for the past 46 years.

I smoked about 20 tailor-made cigarettes a day, which in the end was costing about $22 a day but still I continued to smoke.

I never really had a good reason to stop. I enjoyed the habit. It was my companion.

But then last year I suffered an injury that required surgery. I was told in January this year I needed to stop smoking to receive the operation.

That was seven weeks prior to surgery and it gave me the motivation I needed to stop the habit. I referred myself to the Southern Stop Smoking Service, and started using patches and lozenges.

The coach has been marvelous.

It’s been like having coffee with a friend. Anything I felt I needed to talk to her about, I did. I don’t think I could have done it without her guidance, and answers to my questions.

Stopping was stressful. I felt like something was missing and so I continually had to keep myself busy. But my goal was to get the surgery and I was determined.

I’ve now had my surgery and I’m about 14 weeks smoke free. I’m taking one day at a time.

I’ve noticed my lung capacity is greater. I can take big breathes which probably I couldn’t have done quite as easily before, and people have told me my skin is better.

I still miss the habit terribly but I live in hope that one day I’ll get past that. I’m determined never to start again.