Halton Region resident declared winner in The Driven to Quit Challenge

Jacqueline Kobow of Acton was recognized as an official winner last Monday at the 2011 Driven to Quit Challenge prize presentation in Toronto. Not only is Jacqueline newly tobacco-free, but she also went home with a $5,000 vacation getaway.

In its sixth year, The Driven to Quit Challenge is a health promotion campaign that encourages Ontario tobacco users to make a quit attempt with the support of a “buddy” for their chance to win. Since 2006, The Driven to Quit Challenge has inspired more than 165,000 registrants to make a quit attempt. All winners are randomly drawn.

“Thank you to all 1,293 Halton residents who took up the challenge this year, and congratulations to Jacqueline Kobow on her successful quit attempt,” said Gary Carr, Halton Regional Chair. Since the first contest, the campaign has helped more than 6,000 entrants across Halton to quit smoking.

Kobow and fellow winners were awarded their prizes last Monday by Martin Kabat, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division, and the Honourable Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion and Sport. They were joined by seven other provincial winners and their “support buddies” who each received a $200 MasterCard gift card.

“I have entered the contest in the past,” said Kobow, “but this is the first time I have been successful in quitting. I am two months and ten days without a smoke.”

All participants in The Challenge are encouraged to get support to help them stay smoke-free by connecting with the Canadian Cancer Society Smokers’ Helpline, toll-free, at 1-877-513-5333 and www.smokershelpline.ca. The Halton Region Health Department offers a Stop Smoking Clinic for individuals interested in quitting by offering counselling and free nicotine replacement therapy, if eligible.

The Driven to Quit Challenge is hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport and generous prize support from McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson Inc. The Driven to Quit Challenge is presented in collaboration with local public health departments across the province. The public can view a full list of winners at driventoquit.ca. A urine test is administered to determine that winning participants have remained tobacco-free.

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