'There’s never going to be a perfect time - just do it': Ex-smoker gives support to quit smoking campaign

Jeremy Haigh is lending his support to Yorkshire and Humber’s first quit smoking campaign developed and filmed in the region.

Jeremy started smoking when he was 14 years old and later quit with help from his local stop smoking service.

He is now urging the 36,800 smokers in Wakefield to quit.

He said: “I always knew I wanted to quit for my kids.

"I have three sons – I want to be around for them as long as I can and one day meet my grandchildren.

" I tried to hide smoking from them for years, but they knew. My eldest two started to worry about what it was doing to my health and made comments from time to time about quitting.

“I tried to quit a few times, but I’d end up thinking one cigarette wouldn’t hurt. Before you know it, you’re back to smoking again. Years turn into decades.

“As a smoker, you’re always worried about cancer. I couldn’t even say the word - it’s your biggest fear. It’s like the elephant in the room that you don’t want to talk about.

“All the attempts of trying to stop in a way educated me, preparing me for the next time. Just do it. There’s never going to be a perfect time.

" I used to tell myself I was too busy with work, too stressed, or that I’d wait until summer, but you just have to go for it.”

His plea coincides with the launch of the ‘Turn the Corner’ campaign which features mother and daughter, Wendy and Amy Robinson from Yorkshire and Humber, who have both successfully quit smoking after Wendy lost her mum to lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The campaign launches this week and was filmed in the region and will run across TV, radio and social media – with a powerful message that every cigarette takes 20 minutes off a person’s life.

Rachel Bowes, Wakefield Council’s Corporate Director for Adults and Health, said: "This campaign highlights the powerful stories of Jeremy, Wendy and Amy, showing the support available and providing the confidence to take the first step.

"Their experiences are a reminder that quitting isn’t just possible - it can make a real and lasting difference to people’s health.”

Tony Graham, Director of Retail, Services and Operations at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “It’s well known that smoking is strongly linked to lung cancer, but it is also a cause of at least 15 other types of cancer.

"It remains the biggest preventable cause of cancer worldwide, and its impact can often span generations when children grow up seeing smoking as part of everyday life.

“Even after a cancer diagnosis, stopping smoking can significantly improve how well treatments work, support better recovery, increase the likelihood of survival and reduce the risk of cancer coming back.

"By standing alongside our partners in this campaign, we hope more people across Yorkshire and Humber will feel supported and encouraged to take a step towards a longer, healthier life.”

Get in touch with free, local stop smoking services here or by calling 01924 252174.

To find free, personalised support to stop smoking in Yorkshire and Humber, visit: yestoquit.co.uk