Beacon of H.O.P.E. to hold stop smoking classes
The Beacon of H.O.P.E. will begin “If you’re ready to quit tobacco Help is FREE!” classes Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m.
The Beacon of H.O.P.E. is located at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle (in the Industrial Park).
“This is a customized ‘Quit Smoking Now Success Plan,'” Beacon of H.O.P.E. director Betsy Haesemeyer said. “Each person attending will receive two boxes of NRT (Nicotene Replacement Therapy) patches, gum or lozenges free.
“These classes will be facilitated by Dorothy Richardson Foster, CTTS, with the Everglades Area Health Education Centers,” Haesemeyer said. “Dorothy Richardson Foster has been facilitating tobacco cessation classes since 2010 and is a certified tobacco treatment specialist.”
Classes are once a week over a six-week period and each class is one hour long. The classes will follow a series of steps. The first step to success is a “Quit Smoking Now” assessment performed by a healthcare professional. The smoker is asked about his or her medical history, smoking habits, treatment preferences, triggers to smoking and past quit attempts what worked and what didn’t work. These questions help determine the level of addiction to nicotine and help the smoker become more aware of how and why they smoke.
“By getting a complete picture of an individual smoker, the healthcare professional and the smoker can then create a customized plan for success to use in the upcoming sessions,” Foster said. “There is no cost to enroll in the program and the Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patch, gum, lozenge) is available at no cost to all participants.”
Some of the topics covered include: effects of tobacco on health, other forms of tobacco, secondhand smoke, reasons to quit, NRT Tips and is NRT Right for You?, obstacles to quitting, coping with withdrawal, nutrition and exercise, preventing relapse, avoiding triggers and managing stress.
The Florida Area Health Education Centers Network is an extensive, statewide system for health professional education and support founded upon 10 regional Area Health Education Centers. Each AHEC is supported by an AHEC program at one of the state’s five medical schools.
The Quit Smoking Now program is funded through the Florida Legislature and the AHEC.
“As a previous smoker, I enjoy helping other people discover they can also quit and have a healthier, happier life,” Foster said. “Our first session will be in two weeks on Oct. 26, at 2 p.m. at the Beacon of H.O.P.E. building.”
Contact the Beacon of H.O.P.E. at 239-283-5123.