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Hundreds of employees and visitors turned out for last month’s annual Great American Smoke-Out, led by the Smoking Cessation Program and assisted by Wellness Works.
“We had a huge response,” said Priscilla E. Perruzzi, BA, RRT, clinical supervisor for the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department. “People were asking for quitting tips for themselves and others.”
Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the country, and smoking accounts for an estimated 443,000 premature deaths each year, according to the American Cancer Society.
At BWH, employees and others had access to smoking cessation materials, pulse oximetry, oral cancer screenings and to speak with a physician about the dangers of smoking.
“Hopefully, we were able to encourage people to quit and motivate them in the right direction,” said Meghan Pronovost, MS, CEP, exercise physiologist for Pulmonary Rehab.
The event also promoted November as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month. COPD, a serious lung disease that causes difficulty breathing, can be caused by smoking and breathing in other kinds of lung irritants. It is the fourth leading cause of death in the country.
Researchers at BWH are working to study the disease. Last year, BWH and the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver received a $37 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to lead the most comprehensive study of COPD ever undertaken.
“There is so much more we still need to learn about this disease,” said Craig Hersh, MD, MPH, of the Channing Laboratory and the Pulmonary Division. “Events like the Great American Smoke-Out are a way to make people aware that COPD is a treatable disease.”
Hersh said BWH has underway several research studies regarding smokers and their risk of COPD, and participants are always needed. Volunteer for one of BWH’s COPD research studies by visiting http://clinicaltrials.partners.org, e-mailing copdstudy@partners.org or calling 866-328-9494.
Thinking about quitting? BWH counselors lead free weekly group sessions. To register, call 617-732-9694 or visit www.partners.org/stopsmoking.