Colchester woman smoked 40 cigarettes a day for 40 years quits

Denise Jackson, 66, was given the motivation to stop smoking after being diagnosed with interstitial lung disease (ILD) following months of chest infections and pneumonia.

The mum-of-five was admitted to Colchester Hospital where doctors told her she needed to quit smoking to improve her health.

She said: "The doctors started talking about me needing oxygen and I realised it was all getting quite serious.

"Then they said I had interstitial lung disease – or ILD – and I couldn’t stop crying. It was such a shock.

"A really lovely doctor spoke to me and asked if I would be willing to talk to the stop smoking team. I said yes I’d give it a go.

"I’d been cared for so well by the hospital team I felt I couldn’t let them down."

Denise was approached by a member of the Tobacco Dependency Team at Colchester Hospital who discussed the options available to her.

Denise said: "I didn’t want anything I’d put in my mouth as that felt too much like smoking, and I thought let’s get away from that.

"Debbie from the team suggested chewing gum.

"I wanted to start on a low dose and was allowed 15 squares of gum a day."

Not only did Denise quit, but her husband Robert also joined her in giving up smoking.

The couple have now been smoke-free for a year.

Denise said: "I’m proud of us. We quit just over a year ago.

"I still have health problems and they’ll continue to be an issue.

"I have to use oxygen, but it’s helped to have stopped smoking when I did."

Denise is now on four squares of nicotine replacement gum and Robert has quit using a vape.

Debbie Henley, a tobacco dependency adviser at Colchester Hospital, said: "I’m incredibly proud of Denise – and Robert.

"They’ve really committed to quitting and I’m pleased I was able to be a support through that process and advise on what options were available.

"It’s never too late to quit and there are many benefits to your health."