OCR Text |
Show till! iEiiiii! "Kveryone in the world who smokes has tried to quit a hundred times," says Bill Thomas. HE WANTS to see more of them succeed. So much, in fact, that this 42 year old father of three, a purchasing agent for a boat manufacturing manufactur-ing firm in real life, has donated two evenings a week for the past year 10 run the American Cancer Society's Smoke Stopper Clinics. The next Smoke Stoppers clinic starts May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cancer Society's Utah Division. 610 East South Temple. Clinics run for a month, twice a week on Monday Mon-day and Wednesday evenings. Interested persons should register by calling 322-0431. WHEN BILL took over the clinics after the former director, a U of U psychologist, moved out of the area, his only expertise was being a successful clinic graduate after 30 years of smoking. But, "I thought I'd give it a whirl. The prime requirement for success, he said, is "you have to be ready. You have to really want to quit. And it may take a little helpwith most people it does." WITH THE clinics providing provid-ing that help, he said, "We've had a really good success." About 80 percent of the people do stop smoking. He's hoping next to make some changes in the program to reduce the number who start smoking again later on. "I enjoy every minute of it." Bill said. He runs the clinics on a self-help, group therapy basis. Members talk about why they smoke and why they want to quit. "Everyone helps one another." ADDITIONAL motivation comes from the Utah Division's well-stocked film library. As group leader. Bill keeps a record of how much each person has cut down his smoking each session. He also provides psychological support and advice. "I think it takes someone who has smoked to lead the clinic," he said, "People are always asking, how did you quit, what were your svmpioms, what did you do? HE'S ALSO a source of facts not known to many group members. "They usually know it causes lung cancer, emphysema or heart trouble. But many don't know it reduces your vision, affects your nose, your hair, your face, your hearing, gives you ulcers - there's not a part of the body that's not affected " ,.The dimes cherrastrypr H, hcials. real v-- housewives. rs . . "THArs mT . interesting .i- nd relaie , . Professional ' - ! status mean it,.;..' ' He doesn't cor. . " "crusarv smoking. lp. ' ' has his nehts II .j- smoke, that's omrv ' "BIT, I lhmk ., stupid that snnv-".' can rule a ncrv ' even mm it." think if thev knt ' . it. more would q.r "We should irf younger group' br''. i start." he said ,v the biggest wa ,0" j i to quit ourselves " j i |