A mum from Kirkby made the life-changing decision to give up smoking to make sure she could be there to raise her young son and see him grow-up.
Julie has shared her story as part of the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Smoking Ends Here campaign: Stop for Good.
Julie’s story
Julie, a single mum from Kirkby, had smoked for over 20 years. Like many long-term smokers, her habit had become part of her daily life—until a moment with her young son made her reassess everything.
“I was running around the garden with my 8-year-old son and I was out of breath. It made me realise how unhealthy I was.”
This moment was the first sign that smoking was impacting her health and quality time with her son.
Two further events confirmed her decision to quit:
“I stopped because my son caught me smoking — I never smoked around him — and I also had a cancer scare. They were my two main reasons. I just thought, what am I doing?”
Since quitting, Julie has noticed improvements in her wellbeing:
“There are a lot of health benefits. I don’t get out of breath playing with my son as easily, my skin is clearer, and I just feel a lot better in myself.”
Julie now encourages others to consider quitting, especially those who may struggle to find motivation:
“If you’re thinking about stopping smoking and you can’t do it for yourself, do it for your children or your family.”
Cllr Christine Bannon, Knowsley Council Cabinet Member for Health, said:
Julie’s story proves that it’s never too late to quit smoking, and that stopping can transform your health, your life, and your chances of being there for the people who matter most.
She added:
“Smokers are three times more likely to succeed in quitting with help from a trained professional than with willpower alone. Contact Smokefree Knowsley for free, specialist support and advice to help you on your journey to stop smoking.
“Even if you’ve tried before and didn’t manage to quit, don’t give up. You can do it.”
You can visit The Smoking Ends Here website for free advice, information, and details of local services available across the region.
If you are a Knowsley resident, you can find out more about services and access free support from Smokefree Knowsley by calling 0151 426 7462, texting quit to 61825 (normal network charge) or visiting the website: www.smokefreeknowsley.org.uk