Jeanette asked me to introduce myself to you. I'm going to be writing a column about quitting smoking. I'm 53, divorced, live in Cincinnati, have two grown sons, and work for myself. I love to dance, travel, read, and spend time with friends.

My Dad and his brothers were the finest men I've ever known. Cigarettes killed my Uncle Art and then my Dad. The youngest, Howard, was my favorite. Lung cancer killed him in 1983. At that point I got very mad at the tobacco industry, and started working against them. I didn't want other good people to lose their lives or the people they loved. I saw that many smokers wanted to quit, had tried to quit, but it was just too hard.

In 1986 a few volunteers at the American Cancer Society decided to try a weekend FreshStart program. I had been trained by the ACS and the American Lung Association, but in fact I learned everything I know from going through the process of quitting with hundreds of people.

For 15 years the most important thing in my life has been coaching people to leave the fear and embarrassment of smoking behind. I don't push my friends to quit, but I will do whatever it takes to help them if they ask. I've learned to love life enough to stop hurting myself as I've taught others to do that.

Here are a few more things I've learned:

No matter how loved and needed you are, cigarettes can kill you. Smoke kills living tissue, and you are not the exception.

You don't just get a longer life when you quit, you get a better life too.

It may be the hardest thing you will ever do, but it must be done anyway.

You can do a lot to make it easier, and do take all the help you can get.

The only way to not crave cigarettes is to NOT smoke. Smoking one will make the next craving come sooner and harder.

xx Jeneene

05. "Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments."

--- (c) Rose Kennedy, Thanks to Jeneene B.