World no tobacco day | how va helped save veterans life. | va new jersey health care | veterans affairs

The United States joins many countries around the globe in observing World No Tobacco Day on May 31 each year. VA uses this opportunity to educate Veterans on the health risks associated

with tobacco use. Here at VA New Jersey Health Care System, we encourage Veterans to quit tobacco products and join thousands of other Veterans in starting a tobacco-free life.  I recently

spoke with Mr. Anthony DelVecchio, an Air force Veteran about his care. He shared with me a story of how VANJHCS saved his life. Mr. DelVecchio was being seen for a separate concern when he

was scheduled for imaging with a radiologist. His primary care provider, Dr. Bezawada, discovered an abnormality on his scans. There was a mass on his lung that required immediate attention.

  Mr. DelVecchio, a long-time tobacco user, would need surgery to remove his lung cancer. "What she did was, she went the extra mile for me." Dr. Bezawada from the Paterson VA

Clinic had insisted he get additional images and he was grateful. "She saved my life."  Mr. DelVecchio made the courageous decision to quit smoking two weeks before his surgery.

The VANJHCS Tobacco Cessation Lead, Lynn Davis LCSW, LCADC, NBC-HWC, was instrumental in this process by working with Mr. DelVecchio to design a treatment plan that worked for him. “Lynn

Davis is absolutely amazing… She knows how to inspire people [and] she’s part of saving my life too.” Mr. DelVecchio’s story was inspirational. I asked him what he wanted the public to know

about his journey. “With my lung cancer, they caught it so early, the VA had saved my life because everybody in the VA is one large team….” He continued, “What impresses me about the VA is

that you can go to any doctor, they open up your file, they can see all the other doctors and treatments that I am going through so that’s one big, large team putting all these heads

together at one time.” Mr. DelVecchio’s care team managed his smoking cessation treatment plan along with his cancer diagnosis. “I had an operation… they took out the entire right middle

lobe of my lung, that scared me. I asked the surgeon to take a picture after they took it out and I showed that picture to my smoking cessation group to discourage them [from smoking]… I

think my story has impacted a couple of people. At least if I can get one person [to quit] then that will save a life… Hopefully people can be inspired by that. I was a 3-pack-a-day guy and

now I’m down to zero.”   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States.

VANJHCS recognizes this and offers multiple smoking cessation treatment options. If you or someone you know is struggling with tobacco addiction, please talk to your primary care provider

for  information on tobacco cessation programs being offered by VANJHCS. Or visit How to Quit - Mental Health (va.gov)