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June 17, 2009

Memorial Hospital offers free smoking cessation course

Submitted by Memorial Health Care System

CHATTANOOGA — “Freedom from Smoking,” an 8-week smoking cessation course begins on Wednesday, June 24, from noon to 1:30 pm. in Memorial Hospital’s Center for Cancer Support, Suite 307. This course is offered free of charge.

“We look at how addictions are formed and why it is so difficult to quit,” says Angie Colbert, Memorial outreach coordinator and a program facilitator for this American Lung Association program. “Smokers have to dig into themselves to discover why they smoke and why they want to quit. They learn to identify triggers that cause them to crave cigarettes. Then they can create a strategy to break their smoking habit.”

Angie has found this to be is a very successful program because it can be individualized for each person. They can each use the techniques that are most comfortable for them. The class provides information about over-the counter nicotine replacement therapies like nicotine patches or gum as well as information about prescription nicotine replacement and quit smoking medications. Participants are encouraged to talk with their doctor prior to making the decision to use any kind of stop smoking therapies or medications to help them increase their chances of successfully quitting. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore breathing and relaxation techniques and a number of other stress reducing activities.

Participants learn to think positively and avoid other traps of falling back into the smoking habit. Small group discussion and interaction with others who have quit smoking are vital parts of the program. Smokers not only quit a habit that is bad for them, but they also learn tools that can help them live a more balanced life. It helps to build healthy habits and healthier lifestyles.

Call Memorial Hospital’s Center for Cancer Support at (423) 495-7778 to register or for more information.



Memorial Health Care System is a not-for-profit, faith-based health care organization. Founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and strengthened as part of Catholic Health Initiatives, it offers a continuum of care including preventative, primary and acute hospital care, as well as cancer and cardiac care, orthopedic and rehabilitation services. Memorial is a regional referral center of choice with 4,000 associates and more than 700 affiliated physicians providing health care throughout Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. Memorial Health Care System is recognized as one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals by Thomson Reuters, the health care industry's leading source of information on hospital quality. To learn more, visit www.memorial.org.











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