This is a place to find real stories from real people who have suffered through tough times with smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Read their stories for inspiration to help you or a loved one.
2012 Quit Now Contest Winners
Mary Stackhouse, Sean Terrell and Carla Reel share their stories as they fight tobacco and win big!
See their stories
Steve Richardson
Today, Steve is walking longer on the treadmill and hitting the open road on his Harley with his friends. Steve is thankful to be tobacco free, but the road free of addiction was not easy. Steve's story
Barbara and Paul
Paul’s doctor told him smoking was slowly killing him. So, Paul quit. Barbara, wanting to support her husband, decided she would stop smoking with him. Read their story
Tammy Crum
After 25 years of smoking, Tammy Crum of Lafayette finally quit for good. "I quit because I had a heart attack. My cardiologist said 'quit or die.' It was a pretty easy choice" Read her story
Luis Colmenares
Luis Colmenares began smoking three to four packs of cigarettes a day when he was only 15 years old. After 30 years of addiction and lung cancer, Luis still struggles with staying smoke-free. Read his story
Amy Gwaltney
Amy Gwaltney became a regular smoker by age 12. For 25 years Amy struggled with her addiction, trying to quit at least 15 times. Amy and her husband decided to help each other finally quit for good. Read her story
Cara Jean Wahlers
Cara Jean Wahlers is smoke-free today because of the love and help she received from her fiancé. Cara found a quit method more powerful than her addiction—love. Read her story
Alice Curry
In August 2009, everything changed when Alice was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was shocked. Her first thought was “Why me? I never smoked a cigarette in my life.” Read her story
Lorene Sandifur
Indiana launched its public awareness quit campaign featuring Lorene Sandifur from Kokomo, Indiana. Lorene is telling her story of losing her husband Gary to lung cancer that spread to his brain. Read her full story
Molly
Molly didn't believe someone her age could get lung cancer. After smoking for only 10 years, at the age of 30, Molly was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Read her full story
Rene Hicks
Stand-Up Comedy is Tough. It Could Actually Kill You. René Hicks, a nationally known comedian, was diagnosed in 2001 with lung cancer. Her lungs had the characteristics of a long-time smoker, but René never smoked a day in her life. Read her full story
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