“I thought long and hard about why I smoked. Frankly, for years I felt it was the only thing I gave myself. I didn’t use drugs or drink alcohol. But after cancer took both of my parents’ lives, I had to look in the mirror and examine my own situation. I realized that I didn’t want to die from smoking….Five months smoke-free, I’m just grateful each day. I was under more stress as a smoker. The constant pull of the addiction and the control cigarettes had over my mind was paralyzing. I feel so much better as a non-smoker. I still battle the urge to smoke but it’s just a mental thing now.”