I'd tried to quit a few times on my own. The team here made me feel like I wasn't a failure for the times it hadn't stuck before. Six months smoke-free now, and this time it feels different.
Real people. Real quits.
Real proof it works.
Behind every cigarette put down for the last time, there's a story. Here are some of ours. Every single one of these people once thought they couldn't do it — and then they did.
*Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy and vapes are provided where clinically appropriate and subject to assessment by your advisor. NHS prescription-charge rules may apply if you normally pay for prescriptions. See our full terms for details.
Their Stories
They did it. You can too.
These are real people who walked through our doors thinking quitting wasn't possible. They were wrong.
What I appreciated was that they never lectured me. They listened, gave me a plan, and checked in every fortnight. The free vape made a real difference. Glad I finally took the step.
I'd smoked for 30 years. I'd assumed I was too set in my ways to change. The advisors here were patient with me when I doubted myself. Twelve weeks on, I'm still smoke-free.
Quitting while pregnant was daunting — I was worried about doing it wrong. Natasha was patient and explained everything clearly. My little boy was born to a smoke-free mum.
I work nights so getting to a clinic was hard. The phone appointments worked well — same support, same advisor, just from my kitchen. The savings have been a nice extra.
My COPD diagnosis was the wake-up call. I came in nervous and a bit ashamed. The team helped me put a plan together. Eight months on, my breathing has noticeably improved.
I'm 62 and wasn't sure I could change. Parminder was patient and never made me feel daft for the questions I asked. The free NRT made it manageable. My grandkids have noticed the difference.
I struggle with anxiety and used to think smoking helped me cope. The team showed me other ways to manage stress. It's been a steady improvement.
The savings have meant a family holiday this year. Bigger than that, I can walk up the stairs without wheezing. At 48, I feel a lot better.
Featured Story
"I'd given up on giving up"
"I started smoking when I was 16. By the time I came to the clinic I was 54 — that's nearly four decades of smoking. I'd tried patches from the chemist, cold turkey, hypnotherapy, vaping on my own. Nothing stuck.
What was different at Ladywood? Honestly, it was the people. Clare didn't make me feel like a problem to be fixed. She listened to my whole story — the stressful job, the divorce, the cigarette I had at my mum's funeral. She helped me see my triggers without making me feel ashamed of them.
The combination of patches and a vape kept the cravings under control while I worked on the behavioural stuff. Every fortnight we'd review what had worked, what hadn't. When I slipped after week four, I expected disappointment. Instead I got, 'Okay — what can we learn from this?'
That was over a year ago now. My CO reading went from 28 to 2. My granddaughter doesn't know me as a smoker. I've got my mornings back — no more standing in the cold at 6am desperate for a cigarette.
If you're reading this and thinking it's too late — please. It isn't. Just walk through the door."
Denise H.
Smoke-free since February 2024 • Birmingham