*Best Diwali Wishes I GOT TODAY! I feel elated!*

This Diwali is extremely satisfying, as I have now a good number of patients saved from getting cancer! The #SAVEtheyouth campaign with its components #knowtobacco & #chotadaana is off-course when a person gets cancer we can still save them, but it would be associated with morbidity, and compromised quality of life.

1. From a Lady Doctor, whose husband was a smoker for the last 22 years. They were celebrating their first No Cigarette Diwali. It had been a frustrating journey for her since her marriage, cajoling, persuading, quarreling, and nagging her husband to quit cigarettes. Not that her husband had not tried, he had but failed multiple times, and lost confidence that he would ever be cigarette free. In one of the meetings, she met me, and with difficulty we got her husband enrolled in the ICanCaRe Tobacco Cessation program. In the first intervention, he reduced the intake but could not sustain it and had a relapse. But the second intervention cycle was successful with intensive sequential therapy and regular motivation. Now it is going to be 4 months and he had not smoked a single cigarette. Feels stronger than before, less stressed, more stamina, more docile, and happier!

2. Second was from Mr. Satyabhan, 42 years old, a security guard, whom I had met at Qutub Minar around 2 years back. During the conversation, I found that he was chewing tobacco. And as a routine, I told him about tobacco and related cancers. Unexpectantly, he was convinced and he came over to the unit at MAX, Vaishali. On check-up, he was found to have a small cancer lesion on the lip, Submucous fibrosis, and dental lesions. He was treated in OPD. Excision of the lesion was done and medicines started. Today, he called me to wish me a happy Diwali, more than that, he was blessing me for saving him and his family.

When people call me back for what I might have done as my routine process, is the greatest gift for me. Their wishes and blessings motivate me to continue to do good for society. My SAVE the youth campaign is saving life, family, and money. I am happy many families will light happy diyas today!

*Dr. Pawan Gupta M.Ch.* Cancer Surgeon.

*Director, MAX* – PATPARGANJ, VAISHALI, NOIDA

Founder – ICanCaRe – TOBACCO #SaveTheYouth

9811290152

For Quitting Tobacco – Call 011-43077695

#icancare #winovertobacco #pawangupta #QuitTobacco #quitsmokingtoday #knowtobacco

Women Power as a TOBACCO MARSHAL – Stree Shakti – INNER WHEEL District 310

ICanCaRe – INNER WHEEL District 310

The Responsibility of Being a TOBACCO MARSHAL

To win a battle we need skilled and armed Soldiers. Battle against the MAYAVI RAWAN TAMBAKU-ASUR has begun with Inner wheel District 310 taking the stride under the leadership of DC SONAL BHATIA.

The Winning battle is started, and the recruitment is on. The might of tambaku-asur cannot be underestimated – the manufacturers, the vendors, the poor farmers, irresponsible media, greedy actors, and poorly informed politicians. They are responsible for the death of around 3700 people every day. A death that is prolonged, painful, and kills the person and ruins the family.

The shakti is born in the form of SONAL BHATIA -sincere, dedicated, and determined. JO SOCCHTE , WHO KAHTE HAIN aur KAR KE DIKATE HAIN. The stubbornness of SONAL BHATIA is the death knell for tambakuasur. She is recruiting the SHEROES as tobacco MARSHAL to take the tambaku-asur head-on. The mighty clever asur with its ever-increasing tentacles needs a well-planned, determined skilled army, and when the NARI SHAKTI with SONAL BHATIA at the helm rises the winning of the battle is inevitable.

Each Tobacco MARSHAL is a unit of power. Doing their bit in their surroundings starting from their home protecting family and influencing the workers – maids, drivers, malli, stepping out to involve and influence others. BOOND – BOOND SE GHADA BAHRTA HAIN. The determination is clear the goal is set and responsibility defined – reach 3 teach 3 make India Tobacco Free.

We bow to the power of Women Shakti! We are with you Sonal.

 

Relapse is just not Will Power, but Environment As well

LEWINS EQUATION TO MAKE YOU A TOBACCO WINNER!

Kurt Lewin in 1936 gave a very simple formula an equation which said behaviour is a function of the person in the environment. What it means is – the habit or behaviour of a person is just not dependent on a person’s character but it also depends on the environment one is exposed to.

This is very much true with tobacco also whether it is smoking or chewing.

Both your personality and environment determines the good habits you would build, bad habits you would break and the way you would progress in life.

A person who is into the action phase of quit cycle, relapses not just because he is born with low will power but mostly because of the environment.

Tobacco addiction has three important components – PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL.

Determining the level of Physical addiction and controlling it with medication when necessary is the first step. But a major component is also the Psychological and Social environment. Psychological or mental strength is a must but at the same time you need to be surrounded with a healthy environment and motivational materials to keep you strong and constantly remind you and strengthen your will power.

Your social environment is one major determinant of your long journey of tobacco cessation – your friend circle, the party time, office colleagues, the pan shop etc. may trigger you to try once again. One slip will take you back to the bottom of the stairs you have climbed so far in your quit cycle. Keep track of your triggers, it is important. I will talk about triggers in subsequent blogs.

Anyone who is into a wrong habit we should help before the early signs of tobacco harm sets in. The advance harms are really dangerous.

The book WIN OVER TOBACCO MADE EASY would be of help.

A word of caution – the teachers, school counsellors, parents should be aware how to deal with such situation. I will talk about it in my subsequent blogs.