Friday, February 14, 2014
Middlesex-London Health Unit
Do Something for the Ones You Love: Enter the 2014 Driven to Quit Challenge
It’s Valentine’s Day, when we make plans and buy gifts to show how much we love those we hold most dear. What better way to show how important your loved ones are than to take a first step towards a longer, healthier life, free from addiction to tobacco. After a one year absence, registration for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Driven to Quit Challenge is underway. Anyone 19 years of age and older, who has smoked at least once a week in at least 10 months in 2013, is eligible to take part in the Challenge, which calls on participants to stay tobacco-free for the month of March. Registration is open until midnight on Friday, February 28th. Participants can register online at www.driventoquit.ca.
“With tobacco, the best time to quit is now. Having access to support and cessation programs will increase the odds smokers will be able to quit for good,” says Linda Stobo, Program Manager, Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “Quitting tobacco use is one of the single most important things smokers can do to improve their health. Tobacco not only affects how long they’ll live, but it also greatly affects the quality of the life they’ll live.”
To support those who want to quit, the Middlesex-London Health Unit is hosting two smoking cessation workshops in London this month: Thursday, February 20th from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and on Tuesday, February 25th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The Health Unit’s workshops provide participants with free nicotine replacement products and include access to counselling support throughout individuals’ quit attempts. Additional information designed to encourage participants to make other positive lifestyle changes to improve overall health and well-being is also built into the workshops.
Those interested in participating must call the Health Unit at 519-663-5317, ext 2675, to determine if they are eligible and to register.
The Driven to Quit Challenge is hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division, with prize support from McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson Inc. and health units across Ontario including the Middlesex-London Health Unit.
By registering for the Driven to Quit Challenge, and staying smoke-free all through March, participants will be entered into a draw for either a 2014 Dodge Journey or Avenger or one of seven $1,000 cash prizes to be awarded after a random draw in April.
Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty
Communications Manager
Middlesex-London Health Unit
519-663-5317 ext 2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell)
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