Hartlepool family share their story of loss for stop-smoking TV advert

Rachel Bullock went to meet a family who have shared their story of loss for a stop-smoking TV campaign

A family from Hartlepool are fronting a 'quit smoking' campaign after experiencing their own loss as a result of the habit.

The North East once had the highest number of smokers in the country, and while hard campaigning has reduced the scale of it, two out of three smokers will die as a result of smoking.

Denham Thomas was one of those people. He had his first cigarette aged 10 and his death was from a disease directly linked to tobacco.

His widow, daughter and granddaughter are now featuring in a TV advertising campaign to urge others to quit before it is too late.

Recalling some of Denham's final moments, his bereaved wife Debbie told ITV Tyne Tees: "The consultant came out and she said she put him on end of life and he couldn't believe it he said 'What at the end of life?'

"He said, 'that's a load of rubbish, it can't be the end of life'. He [later] passed away at home peacefully."

A former fitness instructor, Denham was diagnosed with COPD aged 35 and spent the next 20 years hooked up to oxygen and in a wheelchair.

His daughter Sadie, who was a champion boxer in her teenage years, said she did not remember her dad ever being well, while Debbie became his carer.Recordings of Denham show him struggling to breathe in his final weeks in 2021.

Debbie said her late husband wanted other smokers to see him at his worst in a bid to deter others from lighting up.

A "big loss" for the family, this much-loved "family man" missed the birth of his granddaughter.

Hoping their awful loss at the very least leads others to quit, Debbie and Sadie decided to take part in a new TV advert, which includes the footage of Denham.

The message? "Stop smoking now."

Speaking about her involvement, Sadie said: "I'm absolutely over the moon and I think he would be thrilled that we've been a part of something that he really believed in.

"And even if it inspires one person, that's done its job.

"The less people are affected by smoking, the better, really, and the less families that are affected in the in the long run."The North East once had the highest number of smokers in the country, prompting the creation of specialist charity - Fresh.

These adverts are part of their campaign.

The charity's found that here, 13.1 per cent of people still smoke, that around 270,000 of us.

And almost two out of three long term smokers will die from a smoking related condition.

Ailsa Rutter, from Fresh Smoking Cessation Service, said: "These campaigns are really important, but on their own they're not a magic solution.

"That's why we must have lots of other things happening - the really important role of our Stop Smoking Services. This is still our biggest cause of health inequalities."This tv campaign is focussing on more than just the smoking fatality rate."It is about that terrible impact it has," added Ailsa, "and for their loved ones as well. You feel so helpless."

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