By MATT PIKE
Mosaic Life Care is offering free support and education to residents who wish to stop smoking through a six week program beginning next week meeting online for free.
Meetings will be held once a week online through Microsoft Teams and are designed to help participants prepare for and maintain a tobacco-free lifestyle. The free program meets for one hour each week over six consecutive weeks and provides education, resources, and support leading up to a designated quit day, followed by continued guidance to help participants stay smoke-free. Sessions are conducted virtually, allowing participants to join from home.
“Many people think they need to quit smoking before they join the program, but that’s not the case,” Maddie Merill, a UMKC medical student says in a news release. “Quitting is a journey. The classes help participants prepare for that journey, provide practical tools and create a supportive community that encourages long-term success.”
Smoking cessation provides significant health benefits, according to Jane Schwabe, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Mosaic Life Care and medical director of the Lung Screening Program.
“The benefit people often think about first is lung health and reducing their risk of lung cancer, but quitting smoking positively affects nearly every organ in the body,” Dr. Schwabe says. “It lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and many other serious health conditions.”
In addition to improving individual health, smoking cessation can have a positive impact on families and the community by reducing healthcare costs and improving overall quality of life. program leaders also emphasize the value of connecting participants with others who are working toward the same goal.
The six-week program begins September 30th and is open to anyone interested in quitting smoking. Participation is free, and participants will meet virtually once a week for one hour. To register or learn more, email Maddie Merill at mmerrill@umkc.edu.
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