Karen’s story
“I want to be here for my grandkids” – How a specialist advisor at North Tees and Hartlepool Hospital helped Karen turn her life around.
For more than 40 years, smoking was part of Karen Lodge’s everyday life. Karen who lives in Stockton started smoking at just 13 and carried on into her 50s — even when health warnings were showing. It was an unexpected discovery at her dentist appointment that changed her life and set Karen on a life-saving path with the vital help from the Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service at North Tees Hospital.
Karen, 56, lives with her husband Ian. She’s a domestic at North Tees Hospital and a proud mum and nana. After decades of smoking up to 40 cigarettes a day, she thought stopping was impossible – until a dental X-ray revealed a serious warning sign.
“I’d gone to the dentist for some work, and I remember they called me 15 minutes after I’d left. They’d found a shadow at the bottom of my mouth and were convinced it was leukoplakia. I was referred straight away to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough. Even then, I tried to pretend it wasn’t happening and I kept smoking.”
Leukoplakia appears as thick, white patches inside the mouth. It can be caused by repeated irritation — including from smoking — but it can also signal changes that may lead to mouth cancer. Biopsies confirmed that Karen’s condition had progressed to dysplasia, the next step towards cancer.
“My consultant didn’t hold back. He grabbed my hand, looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Do you have kids and grandkids?’ When I said yes, he told me that if I didn’t stop smoking straight away, the next stage would be mouth cancer. I just heard the word cancer and broke down in front of my husband.
“He said I might not see my grandkids grow up. That was the moment I knew I had to stop.” He advised to me to get some support to help me stop.
Back at work, Karen spoke to her friend who was part of a stop smoking clinic and was referred to the North Tees Hospital’s Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service (TDTS) – a specialist team that helps patients stop smoking. For Karen, the support was life changing.
“I was nervous walking into the clinic. I cried through that first appointment, but they were amazing — kind, patient, and they really listened. Kirsty, my advisor, has been with me every step of the way. She explained all the options, from vapes to mints, and helped me find what worked.”
Karen then attended weekly face-to-face sessions for six weeks, then monthly appointments after that. The structured support, combined with ongoing encouragement, helped her succeed. Now she’s nearly 30 weeks smoke-free — and feeling the benefits every day.
“I feel healthier, I’m eating better, my skin looks brighter. I barely use my inhaler now. I’ve saved so much money that I’ve been on three holidays — and I even had four cigarettes left over from when I quit that I took with me, but I never touched them. I walk straight past the cigarettes in duty free now.”
For many people like Karen, support is a lifeline.
“I always said to myself, If the man in the white coat ever told me I had to stop, I always said I would. And when that day came, the TDTS team were there to help me do it. They didn’t judge me. I honestly couldn’t have done it without them.”
Karen knows how daunting it can feel to stop smoking after decades of addiction. But she wants others to know that help is out there — and that it really does work.
“If you smoke, please join your local stop smoking service. They’re all over the region and they will support you every step of the way. The service is amazing and a real lifeline. My family are so proud of me — and I’m proud of myself. Life is so much better now.”
Tobacco Dependency Treatment Services are available in every NHS hospital in the North East. If you or someone you know is in hospital and wants to quit smoking, ask a member of staff about getting support — or visit FreshQuit.co.uk to find free local help near you.