Role: Cancer Prevention Officer
Company: Cancer Focus Northern Ireland
Track Record:
At today’s prices, if you stopped smoking 20 cigarettes a day for a year you could save more than £2,500! she says
What does your job involve?
I am a cancer prevention officer for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, the new name for the Ulster Cancer Foundation. I help co-ordinate No Smoking Day, which is tomorrow (Wednesday March 13). No Smoking Day is part of a UK-wide awareness campaign co-ordinated by the British Heart Foundation and the Northern Ireland campaign is run in partnership with Cancer Focus.
One in four adults in Northern Ireland — around 360,000 people aged 16 and over — smokes, and sadly one in every two smokers will die early because of their habit. No Smoking Day provides an excellent focus for local smokers to stop together. Getting support can quadruple your chance of success!
On No Smoking Day and the weeks leading up to it we aim to raise awareness of the help available locally for anyone who wants to stop smoking and encourage people to take up the challenge.
I organise teams to go to a range of difference venues — schools, colleges, workplaces, community centres and shopping centres — where we give out information, advice and goodies to help people get started. I’m also involved in the PR surrounding the event.
Is it 9-5pm?
For the most part, yes. However, you do need to be flexible for photo calls, interviews and events, such as health fairs, which are often in the evening or at weekends.
Tell us about your qualifications/training?
I graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a degree in politics. After university I worked in theatre for a number of years and eventually I started with Cancer Focus in 1995 for one year — and I’m still there. Initially I was involved with a peer education project for young people working on smoking issues. Since then I have completed various qualifications including a Certificate in Management at NICVA.
What qualities are required for your job?
Good communication skills are absolutely essential. You need to be able to connect effectively with a range of people from smokers of all ages to other health professionals and the press.
I recently did a radio interview with Sonya Mac on Cool FM about No Smoking Day so you have to be confident and comfortable speaking in public. You also need to be passionate about what you are doing.
Working with smokers, you need to have patience, persistence and be imaginative enough to command their attention and motivate them.
What is your organisation’s role in the local community?
Every year our care services support more than 3,000 local people living with all types of cancer and at all stages of illness. Our free services include one-to-one and group counselling, family support, bra-fitting, Zest for Life, art therapy, hospital driving service and the Sing for Life choir.
We fund major research projects, and each year reach nearly 30,000 children with our schools health education programme, provide cancer prevention sessions in workplaces and local communities, campaign for patients’ rights and invest more than £3.5m in our local community.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I really enjoy meeting a huge variety of people when we’re out and about on No Smoking Day. Their success stories about how they’ve stopped smoking and why are inspirational to me and also to other smokers.
What are the greatest challenges/pressures of the job?
No Smoking Day celebrates its 30th year this year and it is a challenge to keep the campaign fresh and interesting to attract the attention of smokers and the press. Also every smoker is an individual with different circumstances and there is no such thing as a one size fits all campaign.
What advice would you give to people who want to do the same job?
Health promotion is a very competitive field so having the relevant qualifications and some experience is ideal. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and we are always looking for people to help us at health fairs.
What are your tips for a would-be quitter?
Just lift the phone and ring the Smokers’ Helpline on 0808 812 8008, which is operated by Cancer Focus and funded by PHA, or click on www.want2stop.info. The website is packed with information and advice. You can order a Quit Kit and talk to a stop smoking adviser today or find out where you can receive free local ‘stop smoking’ support. To sign up for one of the Cancer Focus stop smoking clinics phone us on 028 9066 3281.
You can also try:
Check out professional support and consider using patches, gum or lozenges or ask your doctor about medication which is available on prescription.
Set a quit date and tell your family, friends or colleagues — you didn’t learn to smoke on your own so you don’t have to quit on your own.
Preparation is the key to success so begin to make small changes to your smoking habit such as getting rid of ashtrays from your home.
Take one day at a time
Reward yourself regularly — you will have earned it!
What’s the most common question people ask when they find out what you do?
Do you smoke? I experimented as a student but quickly discovered it was a habit I couldn’t afford. Nowadays if you stopped smoking 20 cigarettes a day for a year you could save over £2,500!
How do you like to relax outside work?
I’m a keen theatre-goer and have links with the Belfast Festival at Queen’s. I love live music and comedy, enjoy spending time with family and friends, and getting out into the fresh air for walks or in the stand at Ravenhill supporting the Ulster rugby team.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself
I used to be a backing vocalist for the godfather of punk Terri Hooley, and Johnny Quinn from Snow Patrol was the drummer.