A grandfather who started smoking when he was 12 has spoken about the moment he decided to quit after his wife became ill.
‘It was only when my wife became ill that I realised I could end up being my children’s only living parent and that they needed me to be here,’ 72-year-old Martin Austin said. ‘Sadly, she did pass away and that was a real catalyst for me to stop for good.’
Austin is supporting a campaign encouraging smokers to keep trying to quit, even if they’ve made several previous attempts.
The Stop For Good campaign, launched on 19 October by public health leaders across Cheshire and Merseyside, features an advert (as shown above) about a grandfather watching his granddaughter fishing.
Research commissioned by NHS Cheshire and Merseyside found 39% of smokers tried to ditch the habit at least twice, while 26% said their main reason for wanting to stop was their loved ones.
‘To anyone thinking of quitting – look at the people around you, the ones who you love and who love you,’ Austin said. ‘Quit for them and help ensure you’re here for the moments that matter the most.’
Dr Sarah McNulty, director of public health for Knowsley, added: ‘Our Stop for Good campaign isn’t about placing blame for inducing guilt; rather, it is designed to make smokers think about trying to quit, even if they have tried once, twice, even 10 times previously.
‘Quitting can be challenging for many people, but we want to let people know that they do not need to be alone in the process – there’s a multitude of ways in which you can access help and support, so it’s important that smokers know what is out there.’
Featured image: Martin Austin and his son
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