Former smoker from Leeds voices her support for regional quit smoking campaign

Clair said:

“I tried to quit several times and have tried everything from cold turkey to patches, to lozenges and a vape but nothing worked. I always ended up relapsing. Looking back, I realise I wasn’t ready to quit, I wasn’t in the right mindset and that’s key to quitting successfully. 

“My life was controlled by smoking in the past, and I wanted to stop. I knew I needed advice and support to do so. I couldn’t do it alone as last year was really tough. My dad died in February from heart failure after smoking all of his life and watching him suffer was heart breaking. Losing him inspired me to try again, and I was determined to succeed this time.”

Clair is really proud of her progress and hopes she can inspire other people to quit smoking as she never thought she would be able to stop. Her advice to anyone who is thinking about stopping smoking is:

“Just do it and have a go. Get help from your local stop smoking service as they can help you find the right quitting aid for you. Attend all your advisor sessions, even if you have a setback. Your advisor will still help you get back on track with no judgement but loads of advice and support.”

Her plea coincides with the launch of the ‘Turn the Corner’ campaign which features mother and daughter, Wendy and Amy Robinson from Yorkshire and Humber who have both successfully quit smoking after Wendy lost her mum to COPD.

Turn the Corner is a collaborative campaign being coordinated by the Centre for Excellence in conjunction with all 15 local authorities, including Leeds City Council, across Yorkshire and Humber and Yorkshire Cancer Research, who are committed to reducing smoking and protecting local communities from the harms of tobacco.  

The campaign, which launches this week and was filmed in the region and will run across TV, radio and social media – with a powerful message that every cigarette takes 20 minutes off your life. 

Victoria Eaton, Leeds City Council’s Director for Public Health, said:

“In Leeds, although the number of people smoking has fallen significantly over recent decades, more than 111,000 adults – around 15.6 per cent of the city’s population – still smoke.

“Evidence shows that specialist support greatly increases the chances of quitting smoking for good and Clair’s story is a great example of how, with that right support, you can turn that corner and quit. Our Leeds stop smoking services are to here to support all those ready to make that positive step to a healthier future and quit for good.”

Get in touch with your free, local stop smoking service here  https://leedsstopsmoking.co.uk/

The Turning the Corner campaign is the latest awareness-raising project by Leeds City Council’s public health team to support the city’s ambition to reduce smoking prevalence by at least 0.5 per cent every year – equating to 2,500 fewer smokers annually.

Latest figures suggest the city is well above that target, with GP data showing 4493 fewer smokers between 2024 and now.

Rachel Spencer-Henshall, Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Director of Public Health and Corporate Resources for Kirklees said: “Smoking still causes huge harm across Yorkshire and the Humber. Turn the Corner gives people the support and confidence to quit, and Wendy and Amy show just how powerful that first step can be. Their experience is a reminder that quitting isn’t just possible - it can make a real and lasting difference to people’s health.”

Tony Graham, Director of Retail, Services and Operations at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “It’s well known that smoking is strongly linked to lung cancer, but it is also a cause of at least 15 other types of cancer. As well as kidney cancer, smoking can lead to cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, bowel, ovary, cervix, breast and, in some cases, even leukaemia.

“It remains the biggest preventable cause of cancer worldwide, and its impact can often span generations when children grow up seeing smoking as part of everyday life. Wendy and Amy’s experiences show both the profound harm caused by tobacco and the powerful difference that quitting can make, not only for an individual’s health, but for the health and future of their family.

“Even after a cancer diagnosis, stopping smoking can significantly improve how well treatments work, support better recovery, increase the likelihood of survival and reduce the risk of cancer coming back. By standing alongside our partners in this campaign, we hope more people across Yorkshire and Humber will feel supported and encouraged to take a step towards a longer, healthier life.”

If you live in Yorkshire and Humber, you can get six months access to all features on the Smoke Free app for free, including nicotine replacement medication as part of the campaign, worth up to £300.  Find out more at visit: yestoquit.co.uk

Get in touch with your free, local stop smoking service here  https://leedsstopsmoking.co.uk/