From COPD to CEO – How a Diagnosis Transformed My Life

Ian Bond was a lifelong smoker before giving up 15 years ago. Shortly afterwards he was diagnosed with the lung condition Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). In a bid to better manage his condition he developed a series of digital self-management tools and went on to form Bond Digital Health, which is based in Cardiff Bay. 

To mark World No Tobacco Day, which this year focuses on the impact of tobacco smoking on lung health, Ian wrote a blog for us about how he finally gave up smoking.

 

Different Generation

I’m one of the older generation that was born into a smoking world. Literally. The midwife smoked I’m told, certainly both my parents did. In fact, pretty well everyone smoked in those days. You were a bit odd if you didn’t.

Smoking was recommended for nursing mothers, people were told it was good to help clear the lungs in the morning, it was said to quiet the nerves. Film stars and public figures posed seductively with cigarettes. The ads, the packaging, the ethos – it was all so cleverly managed.

So with the world subtly manipulated, generations of people ruined their lungs and lives to pour fortunes into the pockets of the tobacco barons.

Smoking was as ordinary as eating and breathing, you just did it. And felt good doing it.

Until of course the coughing got worse, the breathing laboured and the promise to give up was made.

I can’t remember how many times I tried to stop smoking. Every time I did however it became a battle between the desire to give up and the desire for a cigarette. That battle took place in my head and every time I backslid, I felt depressed and beaten and often smoked more as the smoker in me took revenge.

It was beating me, tormenting me and I recall looking at a cigarette at one point and asked myself ‘is this the one that is going to kill me?’

It Was Just ‘Trying’

The light bulb moment that saved my life came when I realised that when I was trying, even really trying, even really really trying, that’s all it was – trying…

…and trying almost by definition means there is a place for failure.

I had to stop trying and stop smoking. I went to bed that night, after a last late-night cigarette but with a decision made; and got up a confirmed non-smoker. There were the urges as I felt the need with a coffee, after a meal, throughout the next day and the next but my defences were up and the fight was less. I wasn’t ‘trying’ to give up any more and going through that turmoil of wavering, temptation, wanting just one to help on the way. No, I had stopped smoking. I won over my myself and my habit. I haven’t smoked for 15 years or so.

You won’t be surprised to learn that I had a diagnosis of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) soon afterwards but, as a non-smoker, I could manage my condition with some meds and that last cigarette didn’t kill me.

The Benefits

With good medication and self management I’ll live a decent life. Did I enjoy smoking? Maybe in the early years, but then it was simply a habit. I was responding to some weird mental urge built from life long habit. What I really enjoy are the benefits of not smoking. The smell of good food, clean air, fresh clothing, extra cash and to be able to kiss my grandchildren without them cringing.

Another outcome came from wanting to learn about my condition and find ways of using detailed records to produce useful data for evidence with lung specialists.

This led to the development of digital self-management tools which, with a colleague, grew into a thriving business. Soon these tools will be available for a range of lung diseases and other conditions which come with age and smoking. We have got a great team of 10 working enthusiastically on many projects to improve the health of the community and our first will be launched next year and given free to NHS Wales for all COPD patients.

So, something good came out it after all.

Primary School Parents Quit Smoking Thanks to ‘Pupil Power’

The headteacher of a school where up to two thirds of children live with somebody who smokes, has stepped in to help parents quit the habit.

Michele Thomas, head teacher of Pembroke Dock Community School, became so concerned about the numbers of parents smoking that she decided to host stop smoking sessions at the school after Hywel Dda’s Help Me Quit Team and her local community pharmacy got in touch with the idea.

They had identified Pembroke Dock as an area of high smoking prevalence but realised that it was a challenge for smokers with young children to get to smoking cessation clinics.  To solve the problem, they offered to hold sessions at the school after the morning drop off.

The project started with Public Health Wales giving lessons to the children about the dangers of smoking and the positive benefits of quitting, including having more money to spend.

And it was the news that if their parents gave up smoking, they’d save £1,000 to spend on Christmas presents that really got the children fired up about asking them to quit.

Using Pupil Power

“We wanted to use pupil power,” explained Mrs Thomas.  “So, we held an assembly for the children and said if your parents or someone that you know gave up, they’d have £1,000 to spend on you for Christmas. They were all very keen in getting the people that they knew involved in giving up. And many children left that day saying, ‘I know who I’m going to be speaking to’.

The children were given a letter to take home inviting their parents to attend a smoking cessation group run by Help Me Quit. Nine parents signed up and by the end of the 6-week course 40% of them had successfully quit smoking thanks to support from community pharmacist Dave Edwards, who provided nicotine replacement therapy, and the Help Me Quit cessation advisor.

Inspiring Mums

One of the parents taking part was mum of three Kristy Briggs, who also works at the school as a teaching assistant. Before attending the sessions, she smoked up to 15 cigarettes a day having started ten years ago. Since giving up she has taken up running and says the support provided by the Help Me Quit advisors was invaluable: “They were just so supportive. It was saying how proud they were of you and they made you feel really welcome.

“Every week then we’d be welcomed, we’d be made a cup of coffee, we’d sit down, we’d have a chat, they’d ask how I was getting on, and whether there were any times I’d find difficult.  They’d give us ideas on what to do.

“I started off with the inhaler and the patches and within about three weeks I decided I didn’t want the patches anymore.  And I came off it really quickly. I took up running and I did enjoy doing that. And each week as I give up smoking, I noticed I was running further, I wasn’t getting out of breath as quickly.  It was really good.”

Getting The Word Out

Cath Einon, from Help Me Quit – Hospital Service,  came up with the idea of running lessons on smoking for the children before inviting the parents to take part. She said the children did an incredible job of spreading the word about the benefits of quitting smoking among the wider community:

“We encouraged them to talk to those people at home, so their care givers, their parents and their grandparents to say, ‘why don’t you come and speak to somebody’. We noticed there was a knock- on effect in the local services, so the people accessing services in the surrounding area had mentioned that the reason they had come was that their grandchildren or whoever had asked them to give up smoking. So, I think the nagging of the children on grandparents and friends and family has had a real impact on the wider community as well.”

It was the sheer number of parents at the school who smoked that prompted Mrs Thomas to organise the sessions and she admits that she’d underestimated the scale of the problem:

“I underestimated actually about the percentage of people who smoked. When I popped in to observe the lessons going on, and when they asked the children how many children had somebody in their house who smoke or in their family who smoke about two thirds of the class had their hands up. I was really quite shocked as to the high numbers.”

Having seen the success of the scheme Mrs Thomas now hopes to hold further sessions at the school and for it to be a rolling programme that parents can return to even if they fall off the wagon and start smoking again. And she says it’s not just the parents who have benefited from the project, describing it as a great learning experience for the children and one that she hopes, will stop them from taking up the habit themselves.

“It was a good educational opportunity.  They learnt all about the dangers of smoking, of passive smoking as well, they learnt about the law and also about the costs so I think it was a good learning experience and hopefully a motivator in the future for them not to take it up.”

Thinking Out The Box

Suzanne Cass is CEO of tobacco control group ASH Wales. She praised the innovative nature of the scheme and said more needs to be done across Wales to make stop smoking services more accessible to smokers:

“This is an excellent example of how stop smoking services can be provided within a community setting in an area of high smoking prevalence. Across Wales there is support available for smokers who want to quit, however the numbers accessing the services are low. Just 3.1% of smokers in Wales accessed NHS smoking cessation services in 2017/18, despite NHS Wales figures showing that two in three smokers in Wales want to quit.

“It is time to think outside the box and come up with new ways of bringing cessation services to the smoker. Community settings, schools and workplaces are just some examples of how this can be done, as this project has shown.”

https://youtu.be/ehb6RZG9PK4

Ten facts about second-hand smoke

Second-hand smoke (also known as passive smoke) is one of the biggest causes of lung cancer in people who have never smoked, according to an article published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. If you’re a smoker, you’re not only putting your own health at risk, but also the health of your family, friends and even pets. Creating a smoke-free environment is essential for reducing harm and moving towards a healthier, smokefree Wales.

To help motivate you to quit smoking, here are 10 crucial facts about the dangers of second-hand smoke:

#1 Toxic Cocktail

Every cigarette contains over 4,000 chemicals, with at least 50 known cancer-causing agents. These carcinogens linger in second-hand smoke, endangering anyone who inhales it.

#2 Increased Cancer and Heart Disease Risks

Exposure to other people’s smoke increases a non-smoker’s risk of lung cancer by 20–30% and coronary heart disease by 25–35%. This was highlighted in a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

#3 Harm to Infants and Children

Young infants exposed to second-hand smoke face a 50% greater risk of lower respiratory tract infections such as flu, bronchitis and pneumonia. Exposure also more than doubles a child’s likelihood of developing invasive meningococcal disease. In Wales and beyond, children deserve the best start in life-smoke-free homes are a vital step towards achieving this.

#4 Invisible but Deadly

Did you know that 80% of cigarette smoke is invisible? It can linger in the air for up to four hours after a cigarette has been stubbed out, allowing toxic chemicals to spread throughout the home.

#5 Toxic Particles Spread Easily

Smoke particles are smaller than dust particles and travel effortlessly from room to room, carrying harmful toxins with them. This makes it nearly impossible to contain second-hand smoke in one area of your home.

#6 No Safe Way to Smoke Indoors

Opening windows, switching on extractor fans or using air purifiers won’t protect others from second-hand smoke. The only reliable way to safeguard those you care about is to smoke entirely outside the home and firmly close the door behind you.

#7 Heightened Risks for Children’s Health

Children face the greatest risks because their lungs and immune systems are still developing. Those exposed to second-hand smoke may suffer from more frequent coughs, colds, ear infections, chest infections and reduced lung function-problems that can follow them into adulthood.

#8 Smoke Drift Affects Neighbours

Indirect second-hand smoke, known as smoke drift, can easily reach neighbouring homes, especially in densely populated areas. This can adversely affect neighbours’ quality of life, causing eye irritation, breathing difficulties, nausea and headaches, undermining community wellbeing.

#9 Pets Are Vulnerable Too

Even your beloved pets aren’t safe. Animals living with smokers inhale harmful smoke and ingest toxic particles clinging to their fur, increasing their risk of cancer, respiratory problems, cell damage and weight gain. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and even goldfish can suffer from the effects of second-hand smoke.

#10 The NHS Bears the Burden

Across the UK, passive smoking leads to around 9,500 hospital admissions every year, costing the NHS approximately £23.3 million. Reducing second-hand smoke helps ease pressure on our healthcare system, supporting a healthier future for everyone in Wales and beyond.

It’s Time to Quit Smoking and Protect Your Community

Every step towards a smoke-free environment matters. By quitting smoking, you’ll not only improve your own health but also protect your loved ones, neighbours, and pets. Help is available, including expert advice, support services and treatment options tailored to people in Wales. Together, we can work towards a healthier, smokefree Wales.

Click here to visit Help Me Quit Wales for free advice and support

E-cigarettes – facts and fiction

Misconceptions about e-cigarettes prevent many smokers from using them to give up smoking.  To help smokers to make a more informed decision we’ve discovered the truth behind five common e-cigarette myths

# Myth 1:

E-cigarettes are more harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes  

According to ASH Wales’ latest YouGov stats, over 50% of smokers in Wales do not know that e-cigarettes are less harmful than tobacco cigarettes. Meanwhile, surveys carried out by Public Health England found that nearly half of the population don’t realise that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking. Although there are no studies currently available of the long-term effects of e-cigarettes, the current evidence that is available indicates that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco.  Indeed, an expert independent evidence review published by Public Health England found that e-cigarettes are in fact 95% less harmful than smoking.

# Myth 2:

E-cigarettes encourage young people to start smoking  

Fears that  e-cigarette use would encourage young people to start thinking smoking is ‘normal’ have been shown to be unfounded. A study of 248,324 teenagers by researchers at Cardiff University found that young people’s attitudes towards smoking tobacco have become more negative since the emergence of e-cigarettes.  Meanwhile the percentage of young people who reported having tried smoking continued to fall during the same period. According to the research, the percentage of young people who thought trying out smoking a cigarette was ‘ok’ fell from 70% in 1999 to 27% in 2015.  This rate went down faster from 2011 onwards, during which time there was a surge in the numbers of people trying e-cigarettes

# Myth 3:

Smoking e-cigarettes is harmful because they contain nicotine  

According to Public Health England, 4 out of 10 smokers think it’s the nicotine in cigarettes that causes smoking-related cancer. It’s true that nicotine is highly addictive, however it is only carries a minimal risk to health.  Actually it is the other chemicals contained in cigarettes that cause cancer not nicotine. And unlike cigarette smoke, e-cigarette vapour doesn’t contain tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke.

# Myth 4:

E-cigarettes won’t help you to stop smoking  

A major UK clinical trial involving 900 participants and funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), found that when combined with expert face to face support, e-cigarettes are almost twice as effective at helping smokers to quit as other nicotine replacement therapy such as patches and gum.  Two groups of quitters were tested and those that combined e-cigarette use with behavioural support, also had far faster reductions in coughs and phlegm. It is recommended that e-cigarettes should only be used as a way of quitting smoking and ideally e-cigarette users should gradually reduce the amount of nicotine they are using until they are able to stop vaping altogether.

# Myth 5:

E-cigarettes are not properly regulated  

E-cigarettes are strictly regulated in the UK and must meet minimum standards of quality and safety as set out in the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.  Regulations cover not only the ingredients used to make the products but also packaging and labeling requirements.  Manufacturers must notify the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency about any products they make, listing all the ingredients they contain.

Campaign to stop parents from smoking on the sidelines kicks off with live ITV Wales broadcast

A campaign to stop parents from smoking on the sidelines at children’s football games, kicked off with a live broadcast from ITV Wales.

ASH Wales joined forces with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) Trust for the pilot project which will see smoking banned at Rhondda & District Football League’s mini and junior football games and at the South Wales Women’ and Girl’s League games in the Rhondda.

The project was launched at a Ton and Gelli Boys and Girls Club training session in Pentre, and ITV Wales broadcast live from the event for the ITV Wales News at Six.

Speaking at the launch, Gavin Elliott who is the RDFL’s club secretary, said he was “over the moon” that the league had been chosen for the pilot project:

“I think it’s great because I’m an ex-smoker myself and I’ve seen first hand the effects that smoking can have on a family because my father was a smoker.

“If children see smoking around them from a young age then they grow up thinking it’s an acceptable thing to do.

“When I found out about the project, I was over the moon really. It’s a fantastic for the Rhondda League that we’re going to be providing a healthy environment for the kids to play in.”

The aim of the project is to encourage parents watching the games from the sidelines not to smoke in a bid to reduce children’s exposure to second hand smoke, but also to de-normalise smoking in the eyes of youngsters.

Smoking rates in the Rhondda where the launch took place are among 20% of the adult population and feedback gathered by ASH Wales shows that parents smoking on the side lines is a problem faced by many clubs.

Caroline Spanton, is Head of Football Development at the FAW Trust. She said:

“This is all about trying to create a positive environment for young people to enjoy and thrive in their sport.

“It’s critical for young people to have positive role models in their lives and parents have a huge influence on their children. If we can prevent children from seeing smoking as the norm, it could make a real difference.”

If the project is successful ASH Wales hopes to roll it out to other youth sport teams across Wales.

Parents urged to stop smoking on the side lines as charity teams up with the Football Association of Wales for Smokefree Sports campaign

ASH Wales has joined forces with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) Trust to stop parents from smoking on the side lines at children’s games.

To kick off the campaign, ASH Wales and FAW have launched a pilot project which will see smoking banned at Rhondda & District Football League’s mini and junior football games and at the South Wales Women’s and Girls’ League junior games in the Rhondda area. And if it is successful, ASH Wales hopes to roll it out to youth football teams across Wales, following the success of a similar campaign in Norfolk.

The aim of the project is to encourage parents watching the games from the side lines not to smoke, in a bid to reduce children’s exposure to second hand smoke, but also de-normalise smoking in the eyes of youngsters.
Research has shown that children exposed to smoking are significantly more likely to smoke themselves. Currently in Wales a classroom of children starts smoking every day and 66% of smokers in Wales start before the age of 18.

Smoking rates in the Rhondda district, where the games will take place, are among the highest in Wales at 20% of the adult population. Initial feedback gathered by ASH Wales shows that parents smoking on the side lines is a problem faced by many clubs, particularly in Wales’ most deprived communities where smoking prevalence stands at 28% compared to 13% in the most affluent areas.

As well as spectators being encouraged not to smoke during training sessions and matches, there will be smoking cessation information made available to parents. Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said:

“Our Smokefree Sports campaign aims to get the message across to parents and young people about the harms of second-hand smoke and the importance of de-normalising smoking.
“Working with FAW Trust we have a fantastic opportunity to spread our message to hundreds of parents and their children in an environment which already promotes healthy behaviour.
“Children copy what they see and are highly influenced by the behaviour of their parents and carers, so asking parents not to smoke on the side lines can determine whether young people become smokers themselves in later life.”