Celebrities visit PGH stop smoking clinic

Model and VJ Amanda Griffin and actress Rica Peralejo recently visited the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to interact with patients and encourage one another in their quitting journey. Amanda and Rica are on a 40-day challenge of kicking and beating the smoking habit as they join the Kick it! Beat it! Quit Smoking Campaign sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare in support of the smoking cessation program of the Department of Health.

During their visit, the celebrities were able to talk to a group of 30 patients with smoking-related illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The two personalities shared their experiences of quitting smoking and how they are able to cope with the cigarette cravings. They also listened to the testimonies of those who were already able to beat the smoking habit. The stories of these patients provided support for the two challengers in their journey of kicking the habit for good.

Dr. Lenora Fernandez, Consultant Coordinator of PGH's Comprehensive Ambulatory Respiratory Rehabilitation (CARE) Program & Stop Smoking Program also showed her support for the celebrities. "I fully support the celebrities as they take on the challenge of quitting the smoking habit. I believe that they will serve as inspiration for plenty of other smokers who want to quit. "

The CARE program was put up in PGH in 1997 to attend to the needs of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease, while the Stop Smoking Program was established in 2001. Both programs are under the Section of Pulmonary Medicine and spearheads lectures, education drives and campaigns to strengthen awareness of both patients and health workers.

In the Kick it! Beat it! smoke free celebrity challenge, Amanda and Rica are joined by sportscaster and DJ Vitto Lazatin and actor Epy Quizon. To cope with the difficulties of quitting smoking, the challengers have received valuable information on smoking and various strategies of overcoming the habit including the use of nicotine gum, a popular form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and a proven pharmacologic stop smoking aid which helps with the cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with stopping smoking during the quitting period. The nicotine gum is available at Mercury Drugstore outlets nation-wide and can be bought without a prescription.

Help Amanda, Epy, Rica and Vitto in their quitting journey by sending words of encouragement through the textline 0919-605-4952 or e-mail kickitbeatitph@pfizer.com. For more information on quitting, you can also log on to www.nicorette.com.ph