Teaming up to kick the habit
It took a redundancy for Greymouth couple Nikki and Robbie Robinson to finally put an end to a habit that was costing them about $100 a week.
“We just couldn’t afford it anymore. It was either stop smoking or not have enough money to feed the kids. We had to quit and we had to do it straight away,” says Nikki.
Nikki and Robbie’s first step towards becoming smokefree was clicking on a Oranga Hā - Tai Poutini: Stop Smoking West Coast Facebook advert.
Stop smoking coach Trish Hunt soon got in touch and the rest is history.
“Trish has been great. It’s awesome having someone there who has been a smoker and knows what it’s like to give up. She came and saw us every week and made the whole thing much easier than we thought.”
Nikki says one of the keys to her success has been teaming up with others and quitting together.
“Robbie and I both supported each other which made it heaps easier. And it wasn’t just my husband who helped me. We’d often hang out with another couple Trish was supporting. It was great having people you could visit who didn’t smoke so you weren’t tempted!
“I no longer feel the urge to smoke at all. In fact, I walked past some smokers the other day and it just smelt awful.”
If you or someone you know would like help to quit, register here online or phone 0800 456 121/ email directly Greymouth/Westland - StopSmokingGreymouth@cdhb.health.nz Buller - StopSmokingWestport@cdhb.health.nz