Inspirational role model for No Smoking Day

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Staff member provides inspirational role model for No Smoking Day at NorthTec

Quitting smoking is a challenge for anyone – but for one NorthTec staff member it meant giving up one of the few pleasures he felt he had left after a lifetime of overcoming adversity.

At 12 years of age Dave Ward was sitting at the top of a tree having a cigarette when he lost his balance and fell 100 feet. He ended up in a wheelchair as a result of the fall. After being diagnosed with scoliosis of the spine he had stainless steel rods placed along the length of his spine when he was 21. 10 years ago he was in a lift that got stuck five floors up before freefalling five stories to the ground floor snapping the steel rods in his back in 28 places. He was then diagnosed with osteomyelytis and contracted staphylococcus and is now on antibiotics for the rest of his life and suffering chronic pain.

“Smoking was a big ‘no no’ for me. As a result of my accidents I was left with the lung capacity of a 12 year old. But it was one of the few pleasures I felt I had.” After trying to give up a number of times - and successfully giving up for 5 years about 15 years ago - something changed at the start of this year.

“I woke up one morning and thought, ‘Do I really want this cigarette? As soon as I have it I’ll feel breathless. Do I really want to do that to myself?” After cheating on the odd occasion during the following week he bought some nicotine gum and has now been smokefree for 10 months.

“It was a hard decision to stop. I’d been smoking 30-40 cigarettes every day. But I was at the point where I could only say one word without gasping for breath.”

Now Dave has a newfound energy. “Everything I do is active and I do it all with my arms. It’s important for me to have as much energy as possible. Since I stopped smoking my energy levels have increase a thousand-fold. It’s great to be able to talk freely and I’m now doing lots of cardiovascular exercise. I’m going out more because I can get in and out of my car more often and I’m able to visit my friends more. I haven’t put on weight since quitting - in fact I’ve lost weight.”

There are some ongoing challenges – like hanging out backstage with the band in which he’s lead guitarist when everyone else is smoking. “At first that was really hard but I’m used to it now. I was sick and tired of having no breath and going on stage and feeling like I was dying of exhaustion.”

Dave also had a large drycleaning bill when he first gave up. “I went through my wardrobe and realised that everything stank of cigarettes. When you’re smoking you can’t smell it. I don’t know how non-smokers put up with it. So I got all of my clothes drycleaned.”

He’s presently supporting his partner and another friend who are trying to give up smoking. “I don’t allow anybody to smoke in my home, even if they’re guests. I lost a lot of friends because I couldn’t visit them and smoke while I was there. “

Smoking has cost Dave dearly in more ways than one and he’s now happy to be using the money he used to spend of cigarettes in other ways. “I’m saving $50-60 a day. I’m using that money to pay off debt – if I hadn’t have stopped smoking I would probably be bankrupt by now.”

His advice for others who are trying to quit is to believe in themselves and believe that they can do it. “Don’t give in to peer pressure. Don’t just keep smoking because your friends are smoking.”

Dave now spends the time he used to spend having a smoke playing his guitar and writing songs. “You only live once and you’ve got to make the most of it. I died three times on the operating table - I’m obviously here for a reason!”

One of those reasons is to talk to kids who have just got into a wheelchair. “I tell them that you can still get out and have a lot of fun. You can still do everything like drive and get a good job. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you.”

Dave admits that he while still misses his first smoke in the morning there’s no chance of him reverting to smoking anytime soon. “I think I’d be letting myself down now if I had one.”

NorthTec will be having its No Smoking Day at its Raumanga campus in Whangarei from 12pm -1pm on Monday, 1 November to coincide with Tai Tokerau No Smoking Day.

There will be music and a free BBQ. Quit Card providers and quit smoking coaches will be on site. A representative from ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) will be there in addition to an Asthma Society nurse. There will also be a Tug of War competition for anyone who would like to join in.

For more information on No Smoking Day go to www.ash.org.nz.

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