Vic: Emotive TV ad to target female smokers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2010
Vic: Emotive TV ad to target female smokers

MELBOURNE, April 11 AAP - An emotive advertisement targeting women who smoke will hit
television screens in Victoria from Sunday.

Lung cancer overtook breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in among women
in the state in 2006, and remained the top killer in 2007.

About 811 Victorian women died from lung cancer in 2007, more than in any previous year.

The TV advertisement shows a woman learning from a doctor she has lung cancer,then
having to break the news to her children.

Quit executive director Fiona Sharkie urged smokers to think about the impact on their families.

"Although the number of smokers is now in decline, the deadly legacy of the years when
female smoking rates were at their peak is only now becoming apparent," she said.

"More women and families in Victoria are dealing with a lung cancer diagnosis than
ever before, most of those because of smoking.

"Smokers need to realise this could happen to you and your family."

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre nurse co-ordinator Mary Duffy said she was seeing a growing
number of women with lung cancer.

"Young children who come in often don't know what cancer is or why mummy is sick," she said.

"All they know is that their universe has been disrupted by hospital visits, treatments
and the presence of strangers.

"For women with young children who rely on them for everything, there's probably nothing worse."

AAP mj/gfr/jl

KEYWORD: SMOKING VIC

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