Approximately a year after quitting a 25 year smoking addiction in 1988, I trained as an American Lung FFS Facilitator and facilitated the program at area hospitals and in the corporate setting for many years. I acquired the trainer certification in 1995 and was designated a master trainer in 2003. I conducted training's throughout the central states and other states, when requested. I remain a trainer in Missouri and occasionally facilitate the FFS program.
Playing a part in helping people to quit smoking and to remain smoke-free whether facilitating an FFS clinic, or as a trainer who trains and motivates others to facilitate the program, I remain passionate about the American Lung's gold standard Freedom from Smoking program. I have witnessed countless numbers of people who have been successful in quitting as a result of FFS.
As I share with all participants who attend my facilitator trainings, my steadfast passion stems from the fact that 13 years after my husband and I quit smoking, he was diagnosed with, and lost his life to lung cancer. While my initial reaction was shock and disbelief that this could happen when we quit so many years before, his oncologist assured me that had he not quit smoking 13 years prior, it was certain the cancer would have happened as much as ten years sooner. I will be forever grateful knowing that by quitting when we did, we bought another decade together. I tell all those that I train that they can be assured that not only are we saving lives, in many instances we're certainly extending lives, and it's never too late to quit.
