Gillian Wright (48), from Belfast, is a carer for her husband as he goes through treatment for bowel cancer. She stopped smoking over three months ago with the help of a Cancer Focus NI stop smoking specialist. She says: “I’d been smoking since I was 12 years old. I started because that’s what my fr...
Kate Pickering (53), from west Belfast, has a 23 year old daughter and works in the community sector. She smoked for 41 years, starting at the age of 12. To help her quit she started up a support group for others. She says: “For me, as with many people, smoking was something you and your peers tried...
Civil servant Joanna May, from Co Down, was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells on her tongue – she shares her story to help highlight mouth cancer awareness month in November, and stresses the need for regular check-ups. She says: “It all started about four years ago when I hurt my shoulder. I...
Cancer Focus Northern Ireland is lending a helping hand to raise awareness of cancer prevention at Michaela Foundation’s Summer Camps for girls. The charities will work together at 19 camps across Northern Ireland, each attended by 80 girls (aged 11-13). The Summer Camp partnership was officially la...
From Saturday 20 May 2017, all tobacco sold in Northern Ireland must be in new-style ‘plain’ packaging. Cigarettes and tobacco will no longer be sold in bright, glitzy packs but will be in drab green packages with larger picture warnings about the dangers of smoking. This follows a year’s grace peri...
