REACH and Cancer Society team up for Great American Smokeout
NORTH ADAMS, Mass - The REACH Community Health Foundation has joined forces with the local American Cancer Society affiliate to promote the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 20.“The Great American Smokeout is a perfect opportunity for people who want to quit smoking. The American Cancer Society has a website to help smokers quit,” said Marie Barzousky, American Cancer Society Community Cancer Control Executive. “The website (www.cancer.org) features desktop helpers, including calculators that tell you how many cigarettes you are smoking over a given time and a calculator that tells you how much you are spending on cigarettes. It also offers tips, tools, and resources, as well as the QuitLine call back feature.”
REACH Community Health Foundation’s tobacco treatment program is helping smokers to stay smoke free for the Smokeout by providing “quit kits” to community members.
On Thursday, November 20, REACH will be in the lobby of North Adams Regional Hospital from 10 am - 2 pm. Community members are invited to stop by and pick up a free quit kit that has information, resources, snacks, stress balls and other tools to help smokers stay smoke free throughout the Great American Smokeout.
“Making the decision that you want to quit smoking is easy, but going through the process of quitting is not,” said Jennifer Civello, Tobacco Treatment Coordinator for REACH. “REACH offers two programs to help smokers quit -- Quitters are Winners and QuitLinks.”
Quitters are Winners is a four-session class normally offered at night. A trained tobacco treatment specialist helps the group to create a supportive environment, which in turn helps participants break the tobacco addiction. Each tobacco user who joins the class develops an individual plan for quitting. The program provides information about stress management, weight control, and how to prevent or handle relapses. Pre-registration for the program is necessary. The fee is $20 and includes all program materials. The fee is refundable after completion of all four classes. Appropriate nicotine replacement therapies (patches and/or gum) are provided at cost.
“Some insurance companies offer reimbursement for tobacco treatment programs,” added Civello. “If you are thinking about quitting, check with your insurance provider to see if they will cover the cost of the program.”
If a support group setting doesn’t appeal to a smoker, Civello offers one-on-one support. For information: 413-664-5567.
The other tobacco treatment program offered by REACH is QuitLinks, which offers support to women who are pregnant or who have young children at home. The program offers individual or small group counseling to help moms and mothers-to-be quit smoking. The program is supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and is offered free of charge.
The REACH Community Health Foundation is a nonprofit subsidiary of Northern Berkshire Healthcare and is dedicated to improving the health of the Northern Berkshire community. In addition to tobacco treatment programs, REACH runs programs in men’s health, breast cancer support and care navigation, caregiver support, dental health, children’s health, and nutrition and fitness. For more information on tobacco treatment options, please call 413-664-5567.
The Great American Smokeout is part of the American Cancer Society Great American Health Challenge, a year-round initiative that encourages Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles to reduce their risk of cancer. More information on the Great American Health Challenge is available at www.cancer.org/greatamericans or by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.
The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
