Spokespersons

Roxane Néron, M.D.

After graduating from the Université de Sherbrooke, Dr. Roxane Néron worked for 10 years as a general practitioner in Chicoutimi before becoming a medical consultant for Quebec public health.

Since 2004, she has worked closely with ACTI-MENU, where she helps develop health promotion programs, including Smoke-Free Family. She has also published articles in various well-known medical publications.

A true advocate of healthy living, Dr. Néron has devoted the last 15 years to the prevention of cardiovascular disease, especially the fight against tobacco.

Véronique

Véronique, vice-president and co-owner of a business
37 years old
Ex-smoker since January 5, 2012

“I’d been smoking for 22 years. I began to smoke at 14, the age of my daughters. If I don’t want them to start like I did, then I must not smoke, because otherwise what message am I sending them?”

Her motivations

Véronique had been smoking since the age of 14. At 36, she made the decision to quit smoking. Married for 17 years and the mother of two girls ages 15 and 17, she wanted to quit for her health, but also for her daughters. “I began to smoke when I was the age of my daughters. If I don’t want them to start like I did, then I must not smoke, because otherwise what message am I sending them? It is very important for me that my daughters don’t start smoking.” Véronique also quit for other reasons: her finances and the smell of cigarettes. “I’d had it with smelling like cigarettes. I was the only one who smoked at home.” Also, the savings to be made are significant: after a year without tobacco, Véronique’s savings amount to several thousand dollars! 

What helped her

After a few attempts at quitting on her own, her second attempt with the Quit to Win! Challenge was a success. Taking no chances, Véronique made use of a pharmacological treatment, nicotine patches. She also stocked up with nicotine gum, just in case, but she didn’t use it. She felt full of confidence! 

The Challenge for her

For Véronique, it was important for the process of becoming a non-smoker to be a true commitment for her. This is what the Challenge represented for her: a commitment made both to herself and to her loved ones, and also to the other participants. She enjoyed using the quitchallenge.ca website, where she could read the testimonials of other participants who were experiencing the same situations as she was. “From the very first days after registering, my motivation was at a maximum. Because I felt like I needed support and guidance, I didn’t hesitate to talk about it!” She also found the Jean Coutu to the Rescue Support Kit and its tools very useful.

Her advice

“My advice? It’s best to never touch a single cigarette again! This is often synonymous of a relapse, even if you think you’re “cured”! So I chose to stay away from cigarettes and I often tell new non-smokers to do the same thing!”

– Véronique

Martin and Anie

Martin, Estimator, 39
Ex-smoker since January 15, 2003

Anie, Production Manager, 40
Ex-smoker since January 31, 2003

“I was a slave to cigarettes for 14 years, between 16 and 30.” – Martin
“I smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day starting at the age of 13.” – Anie

A couple for 9 years, Martin and Anie had cigarettes in common. They smoked at work, at home, and even during their leisure activities. Each in their own way, they quit smoking in 2003: Martin by drinking water, lots of water, and Anie by following the advice of her sponsor, an ex-smoker.

Their motivations

In January 2003, Martin came down with “man flu”. Even worse, man flu in a smoker! “I often caught the flu, and it would last a long time. Each time, it made me think about the damaging effects of cigarettes on my health. With this case of flu, I was really sick and I didn’t smoke for a week. Since I had held on for 7 days, I told myself that I might be able to continue. I drank a lot of water and I registered for the Quit to Win! Challenge, which offered a kit and tools to help me not start again… and what’s more, there was a chance to win prizes! Since I’ve quit smoking, the flu is a lot less severe!” says Martin.

“We wanted children and a house, but we wanted to quit smoking first. It was very important for us, for the health of our future children and for our own health. When Martin quit smoking, I saw all the efforts he made. Two weeks later, I decided to quit too. I used nicotine patches, which really helped me!” says Anie.

What helped them…

Martin and Anie each chose a sponsor.

“My sponsor assisted, encouraged, supported and motivated me”, says Anie. “The Challenge strongly recommends not being alone at this stage. A non-smoking sponsor really helps meet the Challenge! It is very important to choose someone who will take their mission to heart! I’ll always be grateful to my sponsor…” says Martin. “Just imagine, our home smells good now! We don’t have to repaint walls stained by cigarette smoke or go outside in bitter cold in winter to light up! Really, we’re no longer hooked on cigarettes and we’re very proud of this!” they affirm.

The benefits

“The first summer after we quit smoking, we put our savings towards our passion, golf. That summer and the following one, we played every week and even several times a week after work!” says Anie. “I started playing hockey again. I had stopped because I was always too short of breath and it was embarrassing” says Martin. Since then, the couple, who bought a house in Sainte-Thérèse, have had 2 children. “We are really happy, and above all, really proud!” they state.

Their advice

“If we had just one piece of advice to give smokers, we would tell them: try to quit smoking, and even if you fail, try again until it works. You will succeed!”

– Martin and Anie

Louis-Alain

Real Estate Agent, 44
Ex-smoker since December 31, 2005

“I smoked a pack a day for nearly 20 years. I had a very stressful job where everyone smoked. It was very difficult to quit!”

His motivations

Louis-Alain registered for the Challenge 3 times. The third time, in 2005, when he had lost a friend to throat cancer, he had good reasons to quit smoking. “I told myself that I wasn’t going to wait for the same thing to happen to me! That year had upset me deeply, and I decided to succeed!”

What helped him…

“By registering for the Quit to Win! Challenge in 2005, I had the impression that I had just taken the first step towards success. I had set the process in motion and I was going to make it to the end! Registering for the Challenge is like taking out a membership in a gym: it’s motivating! I couldn’t go back and I was going to succeed in quitting smoking! Also, with the Challenge, you don’t feel alone any more… you’re not alone in trying to quit. I went to pick up my support kit and I met the Challenge!

“When I quit smoking, I started by getting out of my bad habits, like cigarette breaks. However, it was very important for me to keep going outside for breaks and getting some fresh air. My body had become used to this, but I didn’t necessarily need the smoke that came with these “health” breaks! And it feels good to get fresh air!”

His advice

“I often tell my friends who are trying to quit smoking, ‘Keep trying, you will end up succeeding! Quitting smoking is the only decision that can extend your life and guarantee you’ll have better health!’ I often repeat to them that we’re happier when we don’t smoke!”

– Louis-Alain

Johanne

Assistant Manager, Computer Graphics, 54
Ex-smoker since February 3, 2008

Before participating in the Quit to Win! Challenge, Johanne was a very, very heavy smoker. “I didn’t do anything without a cigarette. Often, when I was working in my flowerbeds and needed both my hands, I’d have to wait to finish my cigarette before continuing. I even smoked in the bathtub! I associated cigarettes with everything: joy, sadness, frustrations… Cigarettes were my best friend…”

Her motivations

“The last years that I smoked, I had bronchitis a lot, and not mild cases of it! I quit smoking to avoid health problems and problems with my gums… Also, I was tired of being a slave to cigarettes, of having to go outside in winter to smoke. Just imagine, I didn’t go to movies, because it meant going for too long without smoking! As well, I had had enough of the looks people would give me.”

What helped her...

“I had been smoking over a pack a day for more than 37 years. I told myself that it would be a wonderful present if I quit for my 50th birthday, and that’s what I did. I therefore registered for the Challenge to obtain support. I took varenicline, a medication that decrease cravings to smoke, and it worked! What also helped me a lot were the testimonials that I read on the Challenge website. I could see that I was not alone, and that helped me hold on!

“My boyfriend also encouraged me a lot. The first year, he gave me a present each month to congratulate me. Even today, I’m still very proud of myself!”

A wonderful present!

Among the participants of the 2008 Quit to Win! Challenge, Johanne is the one who won the grand prize, a trip to Cuba! “It was an extraordinary trip! After a trip like that, I felt pampered and I really didn’t feel like starting to smoke again! While I was there, a dream of a lifetime came true: I swam with the dolphins. By taking up the Challenge, I won a trip, I won my health back and I rediscovered great confidence in myself. Truly, the Challenge changed my life! Quitting smoking proved to me that I could accomplish great things! I am very proud of myself!”

Her advice

“If I had just one piece of advice to give a smoker who is trying to quit, it would be stay away from smoking environments for a while, in order to protect yourself. You have to think of yourself, put yourself first! And above all, know that you’re not the only one in this situation! You’ll see: do it and it will give you confidence in yourself!”

– Johanne