We feel great, say smoke-free sisters

CLOSE BOND: Masterton sisters-in-law Piri Potangaroa-Waiwiri (left) and Ngahuia Te Ruki gave up smoking together, and have been smoke free for four months. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA WTA300514LFQUIT01

Pair laud the benefits of stubbing out the habit

When Piri Potangaroa-Waiwiri got some bad news after a routine doctor's appointment, she knew it was time to stamp out the ciggies for good.

After results from her cervical smear test came back with abnormalities, the Masterton woman was sent to a gynaecologist - who gave her the hard word about her smoking habit.

"It was so scary," said Ms Potangaroa-Waiwiri, 26, a mother of two young sons.

"Cervical cancer runs in my family - my sister got cancer at 30, and my grandmother had it at 50. As a smoker, I could have got cancer at any time. My gynaecologist said I absolutely had to quit."

But she didn't have to go it alone - her sister-in-law Ngahuia Te Ruki "jumped on board" and quit alongside her.

A few short months later, both women were honoured at the 2014 Wairarapa Smokefree Awards, hosted by the Wairarapa Smokefree Collective.

Nominated by their quit coaches at Whaiora, the two were presented with a special accolade - "The Best Friends Who Quit Together, Stay Together" Award.

"We feel very proud," said Ms Te Ruki, who has been smoke free since February.

"There's no looking back now. I'm just sorry I didn't do it sooner."

Both women stated that their health and the rising cost of cigarettes were their strongest motivations for quitting.

But Ms Te Ruki, a Zumba instructor at CLM Health & Fitness, was also concerned about the message her smoking was sending to her students.

"It was a bad look - the first thing I'd do after a class was roll a smoke," she said.

"My lungs were working overtime. After every class, I'd be gasping for breath. It was like my lungs were saying, 'what are you doing to me?'"

After having decided to quit, the sisters-in-law joined Whaiora's Quit Smoking programme, where they received smoking cessation products and "moral support" from coaches Jaqs Lumsden and Victoria Te Tau.

However, they say the most valuable support came from their sisterly bond - in the form of encouraging texts and phone calls, meeting for coffee, spoiling each other with baking and "lots of high fives".

"It definitely helped when we were feeling stressed, and all we wanted to do was pick up a cigarette again," said Ms Te Ruki.

These days, the two women say they feel "great". Their relationship has been strengthened, they have more money to play with, and they can stay in the warm during social occasions.

"It's much better when you're going to the pub - you don't have to go outside with all the smokers and freeze your bum off," said Ms Potangaroa-Waiwiri. The Wairarapa Smokefree Awards are held annually, and are supported by Wairarapa DHB, Whaiora, the Heart Foundation, Compass Health and the Cancer Society.

Awards are presented to nominated individuals who have successfully given up smoking for three months or more, or to businesses who have committed to staying smoke free.

This year's workplace awards went to Wairarapa UCOL, Masterton Christian Childcare, Kuranui College and Whanau Ora Wairarapa.