Contest

2011 Winners’ Stories

A support story

I learned about the LTPB contest from a nurse at the campus clinic. After smoking for many years, I was planning on quitting and the contest motivated me to select a date and start telling friends and family about my plan.

An interesting aspect of the contest was the fact that contestants had to select a “buddy”. In doing this, I felt accountable to someone else for my actions. I also learned of QUITRUNCHILL through LTPB which is an amazing quitting resource that assisted me in creating a running plan and log. QUITRUNCHILL was pivotal in my quitting smoking as I often released the stress I felt as a result of not smoking through exercise.

The staff at the campus clinic was extremely helpful during the contest. They encouraged me and were genuinely proud of me when I was selected as a contest finalist and eventual winner. The LTPB contest will also continue to act as a motivator to stay smoke-free because I know how many people supported me during this contest and I want to continue making them proud.

Thank you for organizing such a great program!

Brooke, Lakehead University, Grand-prize winner of $1000

The struggle was worth the achievement

I smoked a pack to sometimes a pack and a half a day when I started this contest. The first couple weeks were the hardest. The first thing I did to try and stop smoking was to stop buying packs of smokes. That way it helped me in two ways; it was out of sight, out of mind and an extra 10 dollars in my pocket. I was only able to get a smoke if I was with other smokers and got one from them. The first couple of days when I started reducing smoking I was coughing up black phlegm, getting all the years of tar out of my lungs. After about the third week into this contest, I noticed my roommate was still coughing every morning but I wasn’t joining him anymore. Right then that gave me the motivation to carry on with this contest. Looking at my roommate coughing every morning, complaining that his chest hurt made me realize that I didn’t want to be like that anymore. He would then light up a smoke and believe that everything was better with that first drag.

I admit I was irritable for the first half of the contest; people definitely had to be patient with me. By the end of the contest I am down to 2 or 3 smokes a day. I find it depends if I am with smokers or non smokers. This struggle was worth the achievement. I am proud to say that yesterday I only had one smoke and I am working on becoming smoke free and encouraging others to do the same.

Cheers to Leave The Pack Behind!

Carlos, 22 year old student from Fleming College – Peterborough Campus, Grand Prize Winner of $500

It feels really nice to be cigarette free

“I was really inspired to carry on throughout the process because of the emails I received each week, as well as my roommate who also took the challenge with me. It was easy to feed off each other in terms of trying to avoid thinking about smoking. It feels really nice to be cigarette free, and I’m very appreciate of this process for having helped me do this.”

Shannah’s Buddy Chelsey: “It was a great help to receive the encouragement from both the emails and Shannah for support. For people who need extra help, it is wonderful to know that people are willing to help you.”

Shannah, 20 year old student from York University, Grand-prize winner of $250

wouldurather… is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to quit

by Dhishna

The wouldurather… contest is a great opportunity for anyone who has been meaning to quit for a long time but has never been motivated or guided to do so previously. The rules for the contest were easy to follow and commit to, especially for someone like me who has never smoked before. The entire contest was well organized and well received at McMaster University. I am very glad I was part of this LTPB experience.

Dhishna, 20 year old student from McMaster University, Grand-prize winner of $100

We thank Pfizer Canada for their generous support of our contest.