Transcript for: It's never too late to quit smoking!

Kelly Cronin: Most people know that smoking is not good for you and if people could

[In Ontario, about 1 in 5 new cancer patients smoke cigarettes.]

[CCO Logo]

quit on a dime they would.

But the reality is

It's such an addiction and

I can't imagine a more stressful

time to quit smoking than when you're facing

a health crisis. So on

one hand you know you need to do it

but on the other hand, stress is such a trigger

to smoke that people just

can't imagine getting through this stress without

smoking.

Dr. Bill Evans: It's very important for patients

to recognise that there are a number of

health benefits to them if they

stop smoking when they get a diagnosis. First,

your chances of living longer

are greater. The chances of the

treatment working is greater

They will have less toxicity from radiation

The risk of getting a second cancer

after having treatment for the first one is

reduced and the chance of a recurrence

from the cancer that's being treated is reduced.

So these are really really

important health benefits of

stopping smoking.

I acknowledge it's difficult but

we can help patients by providing

them with supports by

councilling and by providing appropreate

drugs.

[Mary M. smoked 3 cigarettes a day for 38 years. She never realized the harm a small amount of cigarettes could do.]

[In 2015, Mary was diagnosed with lung cancer.]

Mary M.: I have cancer.

Yes. If I dont quit,

I don't have that much time.

So,

I wanted to quit

because I want to spend more time with my

grandkids and my daughters

my family

a little longer.

[Mary was reffered to Kelly for smoking cessation counselling by her cancer care team.]

With Kelly it was

... even if I fell back and had a

cigarette or a puff or whatver I had

you know, she said its ok we'll try again

She

completely undertands and

it's like she tries to push you into

well if that doesn't work

we'll do it this way and if that doesn't work we'll

try it another way.

[The best way to quit smoking is using both counselling and medication, which can tripple your chance of success.]

Mary C.: I would say five, six times I tried to quit smoking.

And one... some of those were

going to "quit smoking programs".

But none of them worked

for me.

[Mary C. Is a myeloma survivor.]

In recovery a nurse had said you have to quit smoking.

And I said, "Well I can't quit right now

because I would just start again."

And... she said

"Well, come up with a date.

Think of a date and you

stick to it."

[Working with a nurse, Mary set a firm quit date.]

The quit date I picked

was April 4th because it was easter

Monday, it was also just

before my first grandchild was

going to be born and

I wanted her

to know her nana

as a non-smoker

No I've never had a cigarette... six years... six and a half

April 4th it will be 7

Transcript for: You can quit smoking!

[Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to help your cancer treatment work better.]

[Quitting smoking can help make your cancer treatment safer and more effective]

[Surgery Radiation Therapy Chemotherapy]

[If you quit smoking you are less likely to have infections or complications from your surgery]

[When you smoke, your oxygen level drops. Radiation therapy works best when the amount of oxygen in your body is normal.]

[Cigarette smoke has chemicals that can lower the amount of some chemotherapy drugs in your blood, making them less effective]

[Quitting smoking lowers the chance of your cancer coming back or getting another kind of cancer]

[The best way to quit smoking is using both counselling and medication, which can triple your chance of success.]

[What can you do today? Talk to: Your cancer team Your family doctor or nurse Your pharmacist smokershelpline.ca]

[You can quit smoking]