New campaign asks smokers ‘Who will you leave behind?’

May 20, 2009

An emotive new campaign from Cancer Council Western Australia is asking smokers to think about those who would be left behind if their smoking leads to a life limiting illness, such as lung cancer.

The campaign features Perth brothers Ben and Luke Eliot who lost their father Neil to smoking-related lung cancer in 2007 at age 52.

The men tell the story of their devastating loss in a series of three heart-wrenching and emotional commercials, including the sadness that Neil did not live long enough to meet his first grandchild.

The brothers ask smokers “Is it worth it?”.

Neil Eliot, who started smoking as a teenager, was a press photographer for almost 40 years, winning awards including a highly coveted Walkley Award.

Cancer Council acting Director of Tobacco Programs, Susan Stewart said the raw honesty of the boys’ story of what they had lost had a message for all smokers.

“Neil’s death was directly attributed to smoking and his early death has robbed a family of a father and grandfather. We hope that hearing this story will encourage smokers to quit now before it’s too late,” Ms Stewart said.

“Do it for yourself, do it for your family, do it for the life you could miss out on and the people you could leave behind,” she said.

Research shows that half of all smokers will die prematurely because of their habit. More than half of those killed by their smoking will still only be middle-aged (35-69), losing an average of 23 years of life.

While the prevalence of smoking is on the decline, around 300,000 Western Australians still smoke and 1,250 lose their lives to smoking every year in WA.

The Eliots story came to the attention of the Cancer Council after Luke, a reporter for The West Australian, wrote an article about his father’s death.

“It was Neil’s dying wish to share his story with others and this is one reason why both Luke and Ben feel strongly about getting their message out to smokers and their families,” Ms Stewart said.

“They are a really special family. Luke and Ben want to make a difference to other people's lives and help them avoid missing out on a future with loved ones.”

The brothers want smokers to think about the people in their lives rather than themselves when it came to reasons to quit.

“My message to people, as a son of a 52 year old man who died as a result of lung cancer caused by smoking, would be for people to simply ask themselves is it worth it?” Luke said.

“Smoking will, without a doubt, devastate everybody who means everything to the smoker.”

Ben added, “Give up for the people who care about you…give up for the people who are going to miss you.”

Ms Stewart said it was often difficult for long-term smokers to quit.

“It is hard but you don’t have to do it alone. There is plenty of help available.”

The Cancer Council would like to acknowledge the generosity of Luke and Ben Eliot in opening up their lives to help others. We also thank their wives, Emily and Jenna, and other family members for their support of this campaign.

If you want to talk to someone about quitting or get information on the Cancer Council’s Fresh Start quit smoking courses, call the Quit line on 13 7848 or talk to your local GP or pharmacist.

Make Smoking History is an initiative of Cancer Council WA and proudly supported by
 the Department of Health and Healthway