Anthony quits smoking aged 72 after his wife's death from COPD

Seventy-two-year-old Anthony Fearon has proved you’re never too old to change your ways.

The long-term resident of Failsworth has quit smoking after being addicted for more than 55 years and in just six weeks has saved enough to go on a well-deserved holiday – having not had one since his wife died six years ago.

Six years ago, Anthony lost his wife to COPD, after leaving his job to become her full-time carer.

He said: “COPD is not a pleasant disease to see a loved one go through – I left work and became my wife’s full time carer for the final two and a half years of her life.

"I should have quit smoking then but we went into lockdown and it was a tough time to be on your own.”

This experience, combined with the financial cost of smoking and worrying about his own health, has spurred him on to get in touch with his local ABL Stop Smoking clinic delivered on behalf of the NHS.

Anthony added: “My friend decided to quit and passed on the information so I decided to try too.

"I contacted Your Health Oldham and was pleased to hear I could get support at Failsworth Library which is only five minutes from my flat."

Anthony credits the support he received from his stop smoking advisor, Laura, as the key to helping him stay smokefree, having tried to quit by himself in the past.

“Laura was so helpful," he added.

"I used a vape to quit which was free with the NHS and I’ve found it a tremendous help.

"Every week we do a CO reading - I call it the breathaliser! I can see my readings going down – this gives me a little boost and spurs me on.”

Anthony has now been smoke-free for six weeks and is already starting to see the benefits.

He said: “I was getting regular coughs which were getting worse, but now I’ve quit my cough’s completely gone.

"I’m also finding I get less out of breath and living in an upstairs flat it makes a big difference.”

He used to spend up to £70 a week on cigarettes but now he’s quit he’s using the money he’s saved to for a holiday.

Anthony said: “I haven’t been on holiday for six years – I don’t know where I’m going to go but as long as it’s sunny I don’t mind.”

Laura Woodward, Stop smoking advisor for Your Health Oldham who supported Anthony to become smoke-free, said: “I’m new to the job and Anthony was my first successful quitter so it was a pleasure to see his progress and help him on that journey.

"There’s so many different forms of NRT that can help you manage cravings and give you a much better chance of quitting, it’s just a case of finding the one that works for you.

"Now I’ve got my first successful quit under my belt I’m looking forward to helping lots more people.”

Anthony has the following advice for anyone thinking of quitting: “It’s not easy but it’s not as hard as I thought.

"No matter how long you’ve been smoking, you can get the support you need to quit.”

To get free support to quit smoking, please visit: www.yourhealtholdham.co.uk

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