Kathleen

Kathleen: I remember it was winter, and I'd jump out of bed at 6am and go for a walk. People thought I was crazy. My name is Kathleen Sempos. I smoked for about 29 years. I started walking when I quit smoking. Now I feel like I could walk to the next town. I knew I had to quit. I didn't feel 100%. I used the patch. That was my choice. The first weeks were tough. But it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. 

I was a little afraid of putting on weight and my sister had told me that if I walked 3 times a week for 30 minutes a day that that would counteract the weight gain when you quit smoking. And she was right. The patch did give me the power to walk away from cigarettes. I’m very proud. I am the first one in my family to quit smoking.

ANNCR: You can get help to quit smoking. For free, confidential telephone support for smokers and their families, call 1-800-TRY-TO-STOP. If you're a MassHealth member, you can now get medicines and support to help you quit. Ask your doctor for more information.