Hall of Fame

Join us in celebrating success at quitting smoking! Our Success Story program recognizes individuals who have overcome obstacles during their quit, and Support Group members who have made significant efforts at helping others.

Every month we publish the most inspiring success story. If you would like to submit your personal quit story or if you would like to recommend someone from our Support Group, please click here.

To read the stories of past monthly winners, please visit our Hall of Fame.

Please join us in celebrating this month's winner!

Recipient: Cate Quit Date: December 23, 2007 Fellow SHOer's, please help us in welcoming our newest Hall of Fame inductee - Cate! This months recipient is well deserving of the recognition and has been very successful in her quit and helped many others to success. Cate’s smoking history. When we asked Cate about her smoking history she told us that she grew up in a small rural town with smoking parents. She developed smoking patterns early in her life when she first tried smoking a crayon and then progressed to smoking pine needles wrapped in toilet paper. At 18 years old, she went off to university and started to smoke cigarettes. She’s still in disbelief that she became a smoker as she recalls how awful her first drags were. She was living in residence with 300 girls and tells us that with so much studying the coffee breaks with the girls were relaxing while they smoked. She began to associate relaxation and cigarettes together. Cate tells us that she has had many unsuccessful quit attempts. She was able to quit both times that she became pregnant but fell back to the old habit shortly after the births. Cate experienced a divorce and a couple of other problems so the old relaxation habit would always come back. In 1986, Toronto introduced the new non-smoking law in buildings. Cate tried the “Smoke Enders” Program which she found very helpful. She lasted for a while in this program and managed to recuperate some of the admission fees from her employers. Before she was settled into her quit, Cate’s 23 year old nephew committed suicide and she was back to her old habit. She tried to quit again with her husband on May 12, 1999 using Zyban as a quit aid. The Zyban didn’t agree with Cate so she was quickly back to smoking. Her husband remained smoke free and was a huge supporter of her this quit. What motivated you to quit this last time? Cates motivation to quit came in many forms this time around. She was the grandma of two lovely little grandchildren, was turning 60(!), was sick of being a slave to nicotine addiction and knew that the odds of her maintaining her good health were not in her favour. Cate had set a quit date for December 23, 2007 and started preparing for her quit in July. Shortly after she made the decision to quit, she had her annual physical and chest x-ray. The doctor found a spot on her left lung that has since proved to be not malignant but helped to reaffirm her decision to quit smoking. Cate also found the SHO site about a month before her quit date. She used the program and the support group to help strengthen her resolve to quit and was so pleased with the positive influence it had on her quit. What was different about this final quit? Cate is convinced that her strong resolve to make this her FINAL quit was the big difference between this and other quit attempts. She wanted to continue to breath free and enjoy watching her grandchildren grow up.   She also contributes some of her success to the SHO and the wonderful community she met here. Living in Northern Ontario on a lake with only ‘cottage neighbours’ Cate couldn’t have remained so positive without all of the support of the SHO team. She didn’t have the same temptations as she had in previous quit attempts when she was living in the city and surrounded by smokers. This quit, she truly enjoyed the clean air theory of breathing healthy. Being so isolated, she could also go outside to vent and scare only the loons! What did you use or what techniques did you use to resist cravings? When we asked Cate what techniques she used to help her resist cravings she told us that preparation was her key to success. She had learned to cut back to the ‘weakest’ smokes available and limited herself to smoking only outside, no matter what the temperature. With little physical reminders of smoking around the house and the outside air turning cold, when her quit day approached she was feeling ready to stop. Cate learned that her physical addiction had turned into a mental addiction that was tricky to handle sometimes. She learned to anticipate her cravings and use the 4 D’s as well as the other tools the SHO provides. Like many other members, Cate confides that she developed a new addiction for the SHO. She pledged everyday and still does. She read and posted and made many new cyber friends enhancing her life and reinforcing her quit. Cate says, “There is no comparison to how much easier this quit has been after smoking on and off for 40 years, than you to SHO!” Did you have any major slips? And if you did, what did you learn? When we asked Cate if she had any slips she gratefully says that she has not had on slip. “I am forever a "NOPER" ( Not One Puff Ever). Having others believe in my strength and determination particularly my dear hubby (who I truly tortured for the first months of the quit) keeps me from slipping. Too many failures were due to that one puff.” Do you have insight or advice for others? Cate was full of great advice and insight for others. After so many quit attempts she knows that it is possible to quit smoking! Here is what Cate had to say: “My advice for others is to believe in yourself and be positive. Come to SHO often. Be prepared and remember N.O.P.E. It was my downfall so many times. It's important to anticipate a crisis and it's essential to keep your guard up. I wish that I had become more fit and slim before the quit day as I have the weight challenge now but easier to handle than beating the cancer stick. Staying active is so helpful when fighting the cravings. I also use "Power" thoughts. I print off SHO info and advice and carry them with me, put them on the fridge, etc. as well as a special folder on the computer that I often reference. Keep a sense of humour and learn to accept loses. Rewards are so important. There is so much to look forward to and how happy to be free of the shackles of cigarettes. SHO has been my saving grace and I am truly grateful. Keep family and friends close to your heart. Know you are not alone. "Carpe Diem". seize the moment, breathing free!” Well said Cate! Thanks for sharing your story and inspiring other smokers to kick the habit. Congratulations!