The HSE has released a short film as a tribute to smoking campaigner Gerry Collins who died in March of this year.
It features tributes from his children and friends and snippets from Gerry himself giving advice to smokers, “don’t smoke, don’t start, and for those who have, stop”.
A former smoker, Gerry had been a prominent campaigner for the HSE before his death, appearing in the organisation’s anti-smoking films over the years.
Adverts featuring Gerry started showing on Irish television in January and after his death in March, Director General of the Health Services, Tony O’Brien, said that Gerry’s story had inspired over 60,000 people to quit smoking.
“The response to Gerry’s bravery in sharing his story, of a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer as a result of smoking, through the QUIT campaign has been simply extraordinary.
“We estimate that over 60,000 people in Ireland have made a quit attempt this year, thanks to Gerry; something his family and friends can be deeply proud of”.
The organisation today estimates that 100,000 have tried to quit since Gerry’s campaign and this film about family, loss and gratitude will touch many more.
