Smoke-free is message for healthy living

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 548, 9 August 1994, Page 6

Smoke-free is message for healthy living

Phillip Menehira and brothers Terence and Leroy Matthews have first-hand knowledge of the dangers associated with smoking. The three former smokers, now employed by Good Health Wanganui, are advocating a non-smoking healthy lifestyle and visit primary and secondary schools around the country to get their message across. That message is simple, according to leader and health promotion officer TerenceMatthews: "Ifyou smoke, STOP! If you don't smoke, don't start". All three have, sometime in their lives, smoked heavily. Phillip, known also as Sonny, grew up in the Waimarino, and attended both Ohakune Primary School and Ruapehu College. He retumed to the college recently to talk to third and fourth

formers about healthy smoke-free living. Some of the trio's success is attributable to their easual, non-authoritative, non-threat-ening dialogue sessions. The rest is surely due to their high-energy part aerobics-part Maori martial arts performance, called 'Aka'. A demonstration held in the college gym was attended by around 50 pupils and teachers - the majority of whom got involved whole-heartedly in the performance. Their own personal experiences as smokers are the ideal qualifications for relating to youngsters, according to Terence, who said he quit partly due to ill health and partly to boost his performance on the rugby field. Terence has been a member of Good Health Wanganui 's Health Promotion and Protection Unit since 1992, and employed by the Health Department since 1984.