Denise Hughes quit smoking 27 years ago and has made it her mission to support others to quit smoking. So much so, Denise is affectionately known as the 'Smoking Lady’.
Denise started working for NNSWLHD 30 years ago in administration, going on to IT, research and evaluation, and eventually completing her Master of Health Promotion in 2015.
Just before Denise started at NNSWLHD, her dad had a major heart attack, yet was smoking on the way to hospital.
“When I got to the hospital to see my dad, a very good friend of mine was also in hospital dying of emphysema. I promised her that day I would stop smoking, but I didn’t,” Denise said.
“It took many quit attempts for me to quit smoking. My advice to smokers is never give up on giving up. It is like falling off a bike, you need to keep getting back on. You learn something about yourself and your smoke-free journey each time.”
In 2005 Denise’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, which after five years spread to her lungs and then over the next two years returned to her lungs and brain and then everywhere.
“She was such a fighter; many staff would remember that. My sister spent the last two years of her life wishing she gave up smoking sooner and feeling guilty,” Denise said.
“That was when I became passionate about stopping smoking and helping others to not feel that guilt or shame about being a smoker. I wanted to help people with their addiction in a compassionate way.”
Denise is part of Health Promotion’s Smoke and Vape Free team and provides education to clinicians on correct use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and managing nicotine dependency.
Denise also supports staff to quit smoking. NNSWLHD staff can access four weeks of free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) each year.
“I want our hospitals to be safe from second-hand smoke and that means supporting our patients and staff to quit,” she said.
“I don’t want anyone to go through what my sister went through and what we went through as a family. Supporting people to quit smoking changes lives.”
Denise now supports 25 Smokefree Champions throughout NNSWLHD. They are clinicians who are championing smoking cessation on their wards.
“It’s a very rewarding job seeing people’s lives improve and seeing people relax with NRT. I recently ran into a woman who was five years smoke free,” Denise said.
For support to quit smoking or vaping, visit Quit.
Email our Smoke and Vape Free team for more information.
Pictured:
- Top: Denise Hughes
- Denise during filming for an NBN News story
- Lismore Base Hospital General Manager Ian Hatton with Denise
- Denise (centre front) with some of the staff of Lismore Base Hospital.
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