When Anna Ghandour discovered that she couldn’t get off the floor after playing with her granddaughter, Nia, she knew she needed to make a life-altering change. She needed to stop smoking.

“When a grandchild is born, you realize you want to stick around for awhile,” said Ghandour, a recent graduate of The Smoke-Free Life Program at the St. Helena Center for Health.

At age 62, Ghandour had tried to quit smoking hundreds of times, but it never lasted long. Enter The Smoke-Free Life Program offered at St. Helena Hospital (SHH) in the Napa Valley. The program is unique in recognizing the underlying issues of addiction, not just the physical reliance. It supplies support, guidance and education to help participants, like Ghandour, overcome the habit.

The seven-day residential program offers rest, exercise, wholesome foods and health education. Physicians help patients manage withdrawal, an exercise therapist coaches participants as they build endurance, a clinical counselor aids in understanding addiction and a nutritionist teaches patients how to keep their weight in check.

No Longer Controlled by Addiction

Doug Roberts, a businessman from southern California, was controlled by his addiction to cigarettes and decided he had to face the problem once and for all.

“There are no words to describe how embarrassing it is when your children look at you and say, ‘Why don’t you just quit, Dad?’” recalled Roberts. “Not only do you worry about the secondhand smoke and what it might be doing to your kids, you are so ashamed that they see you as weak and out of control.”

A recent participant in The Smoke-Free Life Program, Roberts was so impressed with the treatment he received at SHH that he donated $100,000 to support the program.

“Thanks to the St. Helena Center for Health, I finally confronted the demon of smoking, and my life has changed immensely since I’ve been off cigarettes,” said Roberts. “Before, I couldn’t exercise. I would get so out of breath it was scary. I would sweat the nicotine out of my system and then suffer withdrawal symptoms. Now, the nicotine rush has been replaced by a natural endorphin high that feels great!”

According to Roberts, the best part about kicking his 26-year habit is how he feels about himself. “My shame has been replaced by a high degree of self-esteem and optimism,” said Roberts. “I feel such relief knowing that my life is no longer controlled by an addiction. I gave seven days of my life to save years. It was the only way I could have done it.”

For more information about the St. Helena Center for Health and its residential lifestyle programs, including The Smoke-Free Life Program, call 800-358-9195 or visit SHH’s website at www.sthelenahospital.org.