NON-SMOKING CAPER SPONSORED BY ALAO AND ESPN UNDERWAY

 
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Cleveland, OH – Many individuals throughout the Northeast Ohio communities want to quit smoking, but one particular man is taking on the challenge, thanks to the support of ESPN Cleveland 850 WKNR and the American Lung Association. 

Tony Speziale, 31, has been smoking for 18 years and has made countless attempts to kick his smoking habit to the curb.  He believes that his need to smoke is a coping mechanism for stress.  He’s very candid in admitting that none of the things he’s tried in the past have worked, but this time he wants to make it stick. 

He and his wife, Jacklyn, are expecting a baby in late March.  Suddenly, his quest has an entirely new meaning.  Tony wants to quit smoking so he can fully enjoy being a parent.  “I want to be an active dad and handle all of the activities a child is interested in doing.  I don’t want to be limited by lung capacity in raising a child.”

Tony’s desire to make this happen goes back to his own childhood and the memories of a father who died from lung cancer and other ailments when he was only seven years old.  He wants to push forward, changing that pattern and eliminating smoking from his life and that of his family. 

He entered the ESPN contest on the Munch On Sports Show, which offered the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking (FFS) online course as the prize.  “I did it pretty much on a whim,” Tony noted, “without any thought of actually winning. I just told how smoking was affecting me.”  And his was the story that resonated with Mark “Munch” Bishop and got him the chance to change his life.  He will begin this program that can be accessed 24/7 in one’s own home.  FFS is led by experts who understand how hard it is for smokers to quit.  And research has proven that the more time a smoker spends in a supportive situation, the more likely that the smoker will become a non-smoker.  Online, Tony will also be able to chat with others who are taking the online course and benefit from their experiences.  

The American Lung Association is this country’s oldest voluntary health organization.  Founded in 1904, its initial mission was combating tuberculosis (TB), the most dreaded disease at the time.  As TB was brought under control, the ALA’s focus was expanded to all lung diseases and also includes asthma, tobacco control and environmental health issues with a focus on healthy lungs and healthy air.  Every year in the United States, over 392,000 people die from tobacco-causes disease, making it the leading cause of preventable death, and another 50,000 people die from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Tony knows there are challenges ahead of him, but he’s determined to make a difference in his life and the life of his unborn child.  His progress will be reported on ESPN850, and he knows that the American Lung Association is available to support him and Jacklyn in this quest.

Anyone interested in more information or wanting to learn about Freedom From Smoking courses, please call (216) 532-8203 or visit the website at www.ffsonline.org.