2006 Press Releases
Hospital Is Ready and Willing to Help Make New Year’s Resolution to Stop Smoking A Reality ROME – If you are making a New Year’s resolution to stop smoking, Rome Memorial Hospital is willing and ready to help. Starting on Tuesday, January 10th, the hospital is hosting a 4-week smoking cessation clinic. Teaching the class is Marilyn Palinski, a registered nurse in the hospital’s Post Anesthesia Care Unit. Palinski is a former pack-a-day smoker but, for the past 15 years, she has been smoke-free. She is now an advocate and educator for anyone who wants to quit smoking. “As we know, smoking cessation has major immediate health benefits. Working in healthcare makes me realize this even more so, especially when I see the adverse effects of smoking on our patients” including various forms of cancer and coronary heart disease, she said. Palinski said that the four-week program will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, starting Jan. 10 and ending on January 31, in the first floor classrooms at the hospital, 1500 N. James St. The program is based on the American Cancer Society’s “Fresh Start” program which combines information and support to help smokers break the addiction. Participants should plan to attend all four sessions for best results. There is a $10 registration fee for the four-week program, due at the first session. Space is limited to 12 people and advance registration is required for the smoking clinic. The class is open to adults 18 and older. If interested, call 338-7143 by Friday, January 6, to register. Palinski said that participants may also be eligible for free nicotine replacement patches through the New York State Smokers Quitline. Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking causes approximately 440,000 premature deaths in the United States annually. The CDC estimates that cigarettes rob smokers of about 14 years of life on average. The CDC also indicates that in 2004, 44.5 million adults (20.9 percent) in the United States were current smokers—23.4 percent of men and 18.5 percent of women. “70% of these smokers said that they want to quit,” said Palinski. “Sometimes people just need encouragement and to understand what their options are,” she said. Over 3 million people stop smoking every year. Palinski offers the following tips to anyone who wants to stop smoking: — Use Buproprian SR (available by prescription given by a physician) and nicotine replacement therapies in the form of gum, inhalers, patches and nasal sprays. Palinski said that the nicotine patches offered by the New York State Smokers Quitline are effective. “Nicotine replacement patches are expensive,” said Palinski. “Although it equals the weekly cost of cigarettes, most smokers are deterred from spending the money. Many have a fear of failure and are afraid to ‘waste’ the money.” Yvonne Beckwith, a member of the hospital’s Building Services Department staff, took advantage of the Quitline’s offer for free nicotine patches. Since mid-September, Beckwith has been smoke free, after having been a two-packs-a-day smoker for over 37 years. “After some brief counseling and support from her coworkers, Yvonne was given the Quitline number,” said Palinski. “She contacted the Quitline on a Thursday and received a free, four-week supply of nicotine patches. With a little help from the line staff, Dr. Brooks Parker and me and her own determination, she is on her way to living smoke free,” she added. “It’s been almost exactly 10 weeks since I quit smoking,” said Beckwith. “My son, Jason, is just so proud of me for stopping and he keeps track of the number of weeks since I stopped,” she added. Beckwith credits the response from the Quitline combined with the encouragement from Palinski and others with helping her to stop smoking. “I was very impressed with the follow-up from the Quitline,” she said. “I am just so happy that I quit smoking,” she added. — Counseling in the form of short interventions for as little as 3 minutes. — Structured smoking cessation classes that boost the success rates for people trying to quit. Research shows that smokers are most successful in overcoming smoking when they have some means of support and the encouragement of family and friends, she said. “With some help and determination, people can quit smoking,” said Palinski. “Are you one of the 70% that wants to quit and has a willingness to try? If you are, then we at Rome Memorial Hospital may be able to help you,” she said. Anyone who is interested in learning more about smoking cessation can reach Palinski by calling 338-7143 or by contacting the New York State Smokers’ Quitsite at 855-NY-QUITS (866-697-8487) or www.nysmokefree.com. Other information may be obtained by visiting www.smokefree.gov | 
