Hospital Ready to Help You Stop Smoking and Feel Better

ROME -- There’s no time like the present to stop smoking and Rome Memorial Hospital is ready to help. Starting Tuesday June 6 the hospital will begin 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 16 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 at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, starting June 6 and ending June 27, 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 may be eligible to receive free nicotine replacement patches provided through The New York State Smokers Quitline.  Participants should plan to attend all four sessions for best results.

Betty Carollo, Rome Memorial Hospital switchboard operator, took advantage of the smoking cessation clinic and Quitline’s offer for free nicotine replacement patches. Betty has been smoke-free since Jan. 15 after smoking on and off for 40 years. “I attempted to quit two times but wasn’t successful until going through this program,” she said.

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 June 2, to register.

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.” 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.”

 ­-- 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,” noted Palinski. 

“The clinic provides an overwhelming amount of good information about smoking,” said Betty. The weekly meetings plus “the support from family, especially my grandchildren, friends at the hospital, and Marilyn’s daily encouragement kept me motivated to reach my goal.”

Betty encourages smokers who want to stop smoking to “look forward to feeling better.” “It’s not easy, but anything worthwhile usually isn’t!”

“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.