Cowell Family Cancer Center hosts Freedom from Smoking program
Cigarettes kill 480,000 people a year in the U.S. – nearly the entire population of the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
Officials at Cowell Family Cancer Center want to help change that statistic through a partnership with the American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking® program. The eight-session class starts Oct. 2 and ends Nov. 13. Classes are 6 - 7 p.m. in Room 3014 on the third floor of the cancer center.
“We know thousands of people nationally have been able to quit the habit through this program,” said Kendra Worden, MSN, FNP-C, AOCNP, nurse practitioner in the lung cancer program at Cowell Family Cancer Center. “We are excited to provide this resource for our patients and community members who really want to be free from the bondage of tobacco.”
The eight-week program offers a structured, systematic approach to quitting, helping participants develop a strategy for “quit day” and offering the backup support they need to stay smoke free.
Munson Healthcare Oncology Services Executive Director Kathy LaRaia said a grant through the Association of Community Cancer Centers has helped make the program possible. Another session is planned in January. “Our plans are that this will be an ongoing resource for the region and for Munson Healthcare patients,” she said.
During the program, a certified facilitator will help participants understand:
- If they are ready to quit.
- Medications that can help.
- Lifestyle changes that make quitting easier.
- How to prepare for quit day.
- Strategies to manage stress and avoid weight gain.
- How to stay smoke free.
Cost of the program is $25 for the materials. Some scholarships are available. To register go to munsonhealthcare.org/freedom-from-smoking or call 231-392-8487.