Dad praises lifechanging support to help him quit smoking for good

A father has praised the lifechanging support he received to help him quit smoking so he can spend time with his daughter for as long as possible.

Craig Evans, from Neath, previously smoked up to 10 packets of cigarettes a week.

At the beginning of the year, the 51-year-old calculated he could save around £150 a week if he stopped buying cigarettes.

After a realisation that his money could be better spent on holidays with his eight-year-old daughter, Craig was referred to Swansea Bay’s Help Me Quit team by his GP practice.

Pictured: Craig with his daughter Elsie.

“I went into the shop one day and the price of a pack of cigarettes had gone up so I did a quick calculation in my head of how much I’d be spending,” Craig said.

“I looked out at my daughter in the car and thought ‘why am I doing this?’

“I want to be around for my daughter as long as possible. I thought with that money, I could save up and take her on holidays.

“I worked out I would be saving around £150 a week, which is £600 a month and more than £3,500 within six months.

“I went to the GP practice that same day and they advised me to contact the Help Me Quit team. I phoned them straight away, they arranged everything for me and I started with a group session the following week.”

The Help Me Quit service offers 12 weeks of free behavioural and emotional support through individual or group meetings.

It can be accessed through weekly sessions, either over the phone, face-to-face or virtually, where discussions involve why participants smoke, behavioural changes and stresses.

The service also provides 12 weeks’ worth of stop smoking medication, such as nicotine patches, to help lessen withdrawal symptoms.

Craig attended the group sessions at Port Talbot Resource Centre, as the timings were the most convenient for him.

He added: “The group session was amazing. The staff talked through everything that was going to happen and gave me a prescription to help me.

“I picked up nicotine patches and lozenges and started using them straight away and I haven’t touched a cigarette since.

“I had been smoking for around 35 years.”

Just a few weeks in to not smoking, Craig already noticed improvements to his skin, as well as to his senses of taste and smell.

“I attended the full course and after just a few weeks you can smell and taste things better and your skin looks better, too,” he said.

“The freedom I now have financially is great. I’m able to save that money every month and I don’t have to worry.

“The group sessions definitely helped. It helps to speak to someone else going through the same thing and we could all bounce ideas off each other and share advice.

“For anyone thinking about quitting, I would say just do it and make sure you stick to it. It will change your life 100 per cent.”

Susan O’Rourke, Swansea Bay’s service development manager for smoking cessation, said: “We are incredibly proud of the progress Craig has made.

“He is now a non-smoker, which is brilliant, and his story is a reminder that quitting is possible with the right help.

“By accessing support with others in a group setting, he was able to receive tailored advice and motivation, and practical tools to help him with his cravings and to change his behaviour.

“If you’re thinking about quitting, or know someone who is, now is the time to take that first step.

“Referring yourself to our service means you’ll get expert support, flexible virtual sessions, and a plan that works for you.

“Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of serious illness, improve your mental wellbeing, and save you money and we are here to help you.”

To access the Help Me Quit service, you can contact 0800 085 2219 or text ‘HMQ’ to 80818.