Press Release
August 2008
NORFOLK GRANDMOTHER ONE STEP CLOSER TO €15,000 HOLIDAY VOUCHERS PRIZE
Shirley Ramm (64) from Dereham in Norfolk has stormed her way to the semi-final of the European Smokefree Quitter of the Year 2008. Shirley quit smoking in September 2007 after discovering she had developed mild emphysema. She wanted to stay smokefree to support her daughter through cancer treatment.
The European Smokefree Quitter of the Year competition is run by QUIT®, the charity dedicated to helping people stop smoking.
Shirley said: “I had lost weight and couldn’t breathe very well so I went to my doctor and was told I had mild emphysema. I smoked for 50 years and have tried on and off all my life to quit but always went back to it after a few weeks. This time I did it for my health and for my daughter.”
“I was smoking 50 fags a day - I smoked day and night, getting up out of bed in the night to come downstairs for one. I used to go down to my allotment and sit there smoking, as I was always too tired to do anything once I got there. Now I have more time and more energy – I’m full of beans!”
“I used Champix to quit which made it easier than I thought. I am 65 this year and I feel so proud of myself now. I feel I want to tell the world to stop smoking. If I can, anybody can!”
If Shirley reaches the finals of the competition, she’ll win a two-night stay in Amsterdam in September, where one of 12 European finalists will be awarded €15,000 holiday vouchers.
Anyone inspired by Shirley should ring Quitline® 0800 00 22 00 for friendly help and advice on how to quit.
ENDS
For more details about the European Smokefree Quitter of the Year or QUIT (lead agency of European Network of Quitlines), please contact Kate Spicer 0207 553 3267.
QUIT is the independent charity whose aim is to save lives by helping smokers to stop. Smokers wanting to quit can call the Quitline 0800 002200 7 days a week 9am-9pm for help and advice on quitting smoking, or access email counselling via stopsmoking@quit.org.uk. For more information, visit www.quit.org.uk
Pfizer has provided financial support towards this awards programme. However, the European Network of Quitlines has full editorial control of all materials relating to the awards and full control over both the selection criteria and selection of finalists and winners.
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