Peterson Health offering smoking cessation classes

Peterson Health will be offering the American Lung Association’s “Freedom from Smoking” program, a 7-week, 8-course smoking cessation class for adults.  

Meetings will be held on Monday’s for seven consecutive weeks from 5:30 to 7 p.m. starting Oct. 10 and running through Nov. 21. Meetings will be in Classroom B, located on the second floor of the main hospital, Peterson Regional Medical Center.

This is not a “come and go” course.  

Participants must sign up for the Oct. 10 “kick off” and attend all eight classes, concluding Nov. 21.

Considered America’s gold standard smoking cessation program for more than 30 years, “Freedom from Smoking” helps participants create personalized plans to overcome their tobacco addiction.  

With a recent new edition, the program is based on the latest research on addiction and behavior changes. The course recognizes and approaches the difficulties of quitting in a sensitive, supportive style. Studies have shown that people who have enrolled in this program are more likely to be smoke-free one year later than those who try to quit on their own.

The course is taught by Audrey Ben-David, a registered respiratory therapist and certified pulmonary function technologist with Peterson Health.  

Ben-David is also a tenured clinical supervisor of the cardiopulmonary department at Peterson Regional Medical Center.  

As a former smoker, Ben-David knows first-hand the challenges smokers face in trying to quit.

Ben-David’s honesty and sensitivity to the challenges of quitting, as a former smoker, help her instruct and cheerlead all participants.  

Ben-David said, “I was a smoker for 25 years.  I quit shortly after my daddy died of lung cancer in 1998.  That was my motivation.  I sympathize and empathize with anyone trying to quit and I push them to find their motivation for quitting forever.  It took me several times to quit for good, but I did and others can, too.”

Ben-David is credited for bringing the course to Peterson Health several years ago and she has had a high rate of success helping participants quit for good.

Are you ready to quit smoking?  Classes are free and registration is now underway, but class size is limited to 10.  

For specific questions on the course, contact Ben-David at (830) 258-7582 or email aben-david@petersonhealth.com.  

To register, please call  (830) 258-6263.