We are very pleased to present “Quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis” – a patient video with our patient partners Bill and Anita Callahan and Dr. Renelle Myers. This video explores the journey of our patient partners quitting smoking and the benefits of quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis.
The BC Cancer Smoking Cessation Program is designed to screen all new cancer patients on their first visit to BC Cancer, for tobacco use, educate them on the benefits of quitting and provide them with the tools to quit by referring them to QuitNow, our provincial cessation line.
Stopping smoking at the time of a cancer diagnosis can improve your treatment and reduce your overall side effects from chemotherapy and radiation therapy and surgery.
Empowering patients with education and letting them know that stopping smoking at the time of a cancer diagnosis is one of the most important parts of their treatment. People live longer and live better if they are able to stop smoking at the time of their treatment.
Evidence shows that patients are most successful when they are:
- Supported by health care professionals in their quit attempts
- Use a multipronged approach with counselling and pharmacotherapy
If you or your loved one would like to quit smoking:
- Talk to your BC Cancer Care Team
- Contact QuitNow directly 1-877-455-2233 or visit quitnow.ca
- Talk to your local pharmacist about the Free NRT program through BC Smoking Cessation Program with Government of BC
- Talk to your doctor
We would like to thank our patient partners Bill and Anita Callahan for their participation to help develop this video and their support for this program as valued members of our provincial working group. Our patient partners provided us with important patient-centred lens for the success of this program.
For more resources on how to quit smoking, go to bccancer.bc.ca/quitsmoking
