Lisa, from Greymouth, says she started smoking when she was about 17 years old. Back then it felt normal – something everyone around her did. She managed to give it up for seven years in the mid‑2000s, but eventually, stress pulled her back in, and by 2016 she was smoking again. She says her husband Richard had started even younger, at aged 15, and his routine was just as ingrained as hers.

For years, she says their days were built around cigarettes. “We’d wake up, make a coffee, and light up – usually two – before the day even began. Every meal ended the same way: coffee and a cigarette”. It was automatic, familiar, and constant.

Lisa had tried quitting before and knew she could do it, but life has a way of getting heavy, and she always found herself reaching back for the habit she thought kept her steady. Richard had a few attempts too, but nothing really stuck.

Eventually, the signs became too loud to ignore. Her health was changing, and not for the better.  After years of smoking, Lisa was diagnosed with COPD and later used vaping as part of her journey to quit cigarettes.  On top of that, once she went back to cigarettes, her immune system felt wrecked – she was getting sick very easily, plus both her and Richard and had developed that deep, unmistakable smoker’s cough.

“There came a moment – quiet but clear – when I thought, ‘That’s it. I can’t keep doing this to myself.’ I knew something had to change,” says Lisa.

Around that time, she kept seeing ads for a smokefree service on Facebook. They popped up over and over until one night, after weeks of thinking about it, Lisa finally decided to act.  She filled out the form, hoping maybe this time would be different.

A few days later Jackie called.

Lisa says they met in her office in downtown Greymouth, and straight away she knew she was exactly the kind of support she needed. “She was real – down‑to‑earth, genuine, someone who had walked the same path and made it through. She didn’t sugar‑coat anything, but she made me believe it could be done. Without her, I don’t think quitting would have felt even half as possible.”

Jackie set the couple up with patches and lozenges and, more importantly, taught them how to actually use them properly. Lisa had hated nicotine gum the last time she quit, so wasn’t expecting much from the lozenges – “but honestly, they were game changers,” she says.  “They gave me that little hit when I needed it, just enough to get through the rough moments without reaching for a cigarette.”

Lisa quit on 19 May 2025 and Richard joined the journey in August 2025, after watching how different it was for his wife this time around.  “Because we’re both a bit competitive, once he saw me making progress, he decided it was his turn,” says Lisa.

Now they are both smokefree, and life is better.” We’re healthier, we breathe easier, we’re not constantly battling coughs, and financially, the difference is massive.  If I had one message for anyone thinking about going smokefree, it would be this: “Quitting smoking is hard, but with the right support, it is possible—and you don’t have to do it alone.”

Having someone like Jackie made all the difference for Lisa and Richard. She guided them without pressure, encouraged without judgment, and helped them understand how to use the tools that actually work. Her blend of professional knowledge and lived experience was exactly what was needed.

“Today, we’re living a life we didn’t realise we were missing – healthier, happier, and finally free from cigarettes.”