PINELLAS PARK, Fla. – Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. In fact, the act is responsible for 87 percent of all cases of the disease. During the month of November, WellSpring Oncology is rewarding anyone who pledges to quit before Turkey Day with the fourth annual “Bucks for Butts” campaign. Every smoker who turns in an opened cigarette pack that is at least half full will receive a $5 Publix gift card.
“Lung cancer is more deadly than breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancers combined,” says WellSpring Oncology Board Certified Radiation Oncologist Robert Miller, M.D. “We're passionate about rewarding smokers who are making the promise to quit.”
How the campaign works: First, participants have to publicly commit to quit by signing the official Bucks for Butts “I Quit” promise poster. Then, they have to turn in their opened pack of cigarettes to the “Bucks Basket” for disposal. Participants may be contacted throughout the campaign to confirm their pact to leave behind tobacco. Only those who have successfully abstained from smoking are eligible to be named the “The Grand Quitter-Winner” – who will be chosen before Thanksgiving Day.
Bucks for Butts will be at the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA located at 3200 1st Ave South St. Petersburg, FL 33712 on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Cigarette smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic (cancer-causing). “By joining our pledge to quit, you can dramatically reduce your risk of not just cancer, but heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, respiratory issues, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, infertility in women and low birth-weight in babies,” Dr. Miller says.
When Smokers Quit - What Are the Benefits Over Time?
20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
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12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
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1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs and reduce the risk of infection.
1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas decreases.
15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker's.
Source: American Cancer Society
Help WellSpring Oncology encourage smokers to quit cold turkey before Turkey Day for this year’s Bucks for Butts challenge.
About WellSpring Oncology:
Doctors Robert Miller, Zucel Solc and Frank Franzese opened the doors of WellSpring Oncology in the spring of 2008 to provide high-end treatment in a more personal and caring environment. The doctors at WellSpring Oncology have been practicing innovative radiation therapy since the 1970’s and developed the center to ensure patients have access to the latest technology available in the treatment of cancer. The doctors of WellSpring Oncology are all Board Certified in radiation oncology and received their training at the top centers in the country, including MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering and the University of California, San Francisco. WellSpring Oncology is located at 6600 Sixty Sixth Street North in Pinellas Park, Florida.
For more information or to make an appointment, contact WellSpring Oncology at (727) 343-0600 or visit them online at www.WellSpringOncology.org.