Robb English, the Aquatics Supervisor in Chapel Hill’s Parks and Recreation Department, dipped almost a can of tobacco a day when he came to the Wellness at Work Tobacco Free Employee Program. As a teenager who played sports, Robb says that dipping tobacco was part of the culture, less overt and obvious than smoking cigarettes. But now Robb wanted to give himself the best chance for living a healthy life, so he took the first step: enrolling in a program that offered support and medications to help him achieve his goal.

Cristen P. Page, MD, MPH, has been named chair of the department of Family Medicine, effective March 30. Page is a multifaceted and nationally recognized innovator and clinical educator. Cristen P. Page, MD, MPH, has been named the William B. Aycock Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine. She served in the … Read more

Dr. Todd Zakrajsek, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and the Executive Director of the Academy of Educators in the School of Medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill. He was a featured speaker at TEDxUNC held at Memorial Hall on Saturday, February 7, 2015. At TEDxUNC, innovative thinkers, from both our university … Read more

Smoking on and off since I was thirteen, I’d tried every trick in the book to stop. Every attempt ended in failure, whether it was stopping cold turkey or gradually with the help of medication. I became, as the old joke goes, an expert on quitting. After all, I’d done it so many times. But, with the help of the Nicotine Dependence Program it seems to be working. Not only am I smoke-free, but I don’t really think much about smoking any more. I knew when I chose to stop that I needed help to do it. I was looking for a program that would provide structure and accountability without sermons or judgment. This program does that and more.

“…I remind myself that mercy, which is a willingness to enter into the chaos of another, is part and parcel of what I signed onto as a physician.” Dr. Tim Daaleman, Vice Chair of the UNC Department of Family Medicine, shares his thoughts in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. … Read more

After smoking for more than 40 years, with a brief three-year smoke-free period, Joe Manginelli, a Patient Business Associate at UNC Hospitals Spine and Imaging Center, had his last cigarette on September 22, 2011. What made you decide to quit smoking? A few things made me quit. Mostly I did it for my wife. But … Read more

When Robert Jenkins came into UNC Health Care System’s Tobacco Free Tar Heels (TFTH) program, he had been smoking since he was 15 years old (“too long,” he said). Like many teens, it was the “cool factor” that led him to smoke. He shared that he was so sick of smoking and had always wanted to quit. He knew in his mind he was ready to quit, but still had to deal with his daily triggers for smoking: morning coffee, after meals, and stress. A co-worker told him she had quit with the support of the TFTH program and suggested that he give it a try.

Tyron Edwards, or T.Y., as he is known, entered the Wellness @ Work Tobacco Free Employee Program soon after it begin in fall 2011. He smoked between 1–2 packs of cigarettes per day, and had been smoking since he was 16 years old. He reported being “just tired of smoking.” Even with his readiness, he said that it was hard to do and he needed to put in the effort so he wouldn’t backslide.

Bob Pendergraph, an HVAC Mechanic who works in Plant Engineering, is a family man who enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, biking, and fishing. He realized that his smoking was preventing him from being active with his grandchildren. He also noticed that many people and places in his life were becoming smoke free and he did … Read more

Claudia Sibila, a medical interpreter in the Interpreter Services Department, did not realize how much her friends and family truly influenced her every day. “The people that surround you become a part of you,” she said. “A positive influence is important.” Her three pregnancies provided Sibila with motivation for being tobacco free. Yet, she found … Read more

Ebony joined the Tobacco Free Tar Heels program nearly two years ago. At that time, she had cut down on her smoking from more than a pack a day to just a few cigarettes, but she couldn’t seem to quit those last few. Her boyfriend was allergic to cigarette smoke and really didn’t like her … Read more

The National Institutes of Health recently awarded researchers from the UNC School of Medicine and the UNC Gillings School of Public Health more than $2 million to study the effects of physical activity food labeling on consumer food choices and exercise. Monday, October 13, 2014 A new study at the University of North Carolina at … Read more

Paul Moss, Fire Captain, joined the Wellness at Work Tobacco Cessation Program in June, 2012, and was able to quit smoking shortly thereafter. At the time, he was smoking a pack a day and had been doing so since he was 18 years old. When asked why he wanted to quit smoking, he replied that … Read more