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I’M GRATEFUL for loads. I mean, I try and find gratitude every day. I’m grateful for my kids – I’ve good family and friends around me, I’m grateful for that… I’m a happy enough man.
These are the remarkable words of Gerry Collins which you can hear in the above video, his last before he passed away last March.
Gerry became a well-known and inspiring figure in Ireland as the face of the HSE’s Quit campaign. He moved the country with his appreciation of life, even while facing terminal lung cancer.
He recorded the video, with the support of his friends and family, shortly before his death at the age of just 57.
Knowing that he had a very short amount of time left to live, he dedicated it to encouraging those around him not to take up smoking and to stop if they had started.
The HSE estimates that Gerry’s ads have helped over 100,000 smokers try to quit so far this year.
So watch the video and then take a moment for yourself. Taking Gerry as inspiration, ask yourself: What am I grateful for today?
Getting help quitting smoking can double your chances of success. Log on to www.quit.ie for an online QUITplan, call the QUITline on FREEPHONE 1800 201 203 and talk to a counsellor, visit the HSE’s You can QUIT Facebook page for support, talk to your GP or pharmacist.
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I am grateful to have encountered this man who has inspired me and so many others, not just in the area of smoking but in the wider challenges of life.
I suffered a loss of my shoulder through a severe infection and am left with about 50% mobility and a lump of metal. This story and the strenght shown has made me recognise the positives rather than wallowing in the negative. At least I have 50% mobility that is better than none. Good on ya Gerry.
Good on you Martin!!!!!
I am greatful for the random luck of being born in a western society.
I am grateful to a nurse in st. Vincents hospital who told me at the time if i had a ciggie, i would have gotten sick due to the medication they had me on. The following day, i gave up cigs and am now off them for 15 months now. Thankyou.
That’s brill Paul.x
And to this day you probably don’t know if the nurse was telling the truth. If not, I wonder how people she’s helped stop smoking? Either way, nice work!
Went cold turkey on the 7th of june 1987, haven’t smoked in 27 years
I’m grateful for my health and my family, what else would you want.
Im grateful for everything I have. A loving family. A few honest decent caring friends who I can count on if needs be and they can. Im happy for my health. Im grateful for everyday we get because you always hear of people being hurt in the news so it makes you appreciate life. I appreciate the hard work my folks do and I just appreciate the fact that life could be a lot worse when you see people in other countries fleeing there hometowns due to war.
Very grateful for having a sense of humour, even if iam the only one laughing.
For having a wonderful job that I can genuinely say I love; that I wake up at 6.30am thinking I can’t wait to go to work today. That’s what I’m grateful for.
Go to bed.
Oops, did I ruffle some feathers there, David?
Interested in what your wonderful job could be ? Duvet Tester maybe or a Penguinologist. But Iam envious either way because I hate my job.
Stephen, I’m a nurse in a residential unit for young adults with acquired brain injuries. It’s challenging and at times frustrating but never ever boring!
Did some work experience in a adult unit for acquired brain injuries, to say the work is challenging is to put it mildly, the full time carers and nurses are top of my list of people to admire and respect.
That’s a coincidence Catherine.. My colleagues and I were discussing only yesterday what job they’d love to do if they had a choice and what would give them great job satisfaction. Working in your field topped the list and you’ve proved that they were right.
I want to be a fireman.
I’m grateful for a family and to Gerry for inspiring me to quit smoking – 8 days and counting
Keep at it……it’s worth the struggle believe me…..
Mark keep at it, it’s one of the best things I ever did 20+ years ago.
I am grateful to Gerry Collins for making that ad as it was partly the reason I gave up smoking although I feel for his family every time it is shown I do think it has had the desired effect
Same here. I was building up to stopping for a while, but Gerry’s ad along with other factors made up my mind. I’m 25 weeks of the smokes since Monday and feel great :-)
Well done!
Thanks Laura :-)
I’m grateful for my health and my wealth and to live in this wonderful country.
Two things. Family and friends. I’d be completely lost with out them….
Am grateful for my family and my dogs…the eldest of which has stopped wheezing since I packed in the smokes (eldest dog I mean)
RIP Mr. Collins and fair play to him for further raising the dangers of smoking in his final months. It was too late for Mr. Collins but no doubt his pleas through these adverts will help to save others by dissuading them from smoking.
I’m grateful for having certain people in my life who have taught me after 14 years of fighting depression that it’s ok to be happy and it’s ok to love the life you live, and to live the life you love.
Now I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and I couldn’t see that last year and it’s a lovely feeling and I’m really grateful for it.
Very moving
Grateful for my absolute legends of a family and the few “real friends ” . Have loads of friends but when the crap hits the fan , you find out who you’re real friends are . Yeah so I’m grateful for through my little turmoil in life I was able to find out who my real friends are .
I’m grateful for the 80s that they introduced some decent music and TV shows rather than the reality or pop crap we hear today!!!
Are you stupid? Today is the golden age of tv.
I’m grateful I kicked that dirty habit over 4 and a half years ago now , but this man Gerry and his Family are heroes to us all !
I am grateful for every second I am above ground to enjoy my life with friends and family. While life can be a challenge I doubt anyone is ungrateful for there time on this planet.
Every time that ad with Gerry Collins is on tv I always stop and watch it even if its on in the back ground, makes you stop and think how grateful it is to have good health, wonderful family and life etc and don’t take anything for granted because we never know what’s around the corner.
Gerry was a courageous man.
He wants all who smoke to stop.
Otherwise you will due pre-maturely like Gerry.
May God have mercy on his gentle soul and confirm his wife and family!
I am grateful for my children and grateful to Gerry and many more like him that have encouraged me to stop smoking and live a healthier life in general. I want to be there in the future for my children and see them grow into strong, kind and caring individuals with their own families.
I think this ad campaign is one of the most powerful yet. It’s very poignant watching Gerry as he was, speaking about his lovely family, his regret re smoking. And then the line at the end… That he passed away shortly afterwards. As a non smoker I can only imagine how hard it must be to quit. But this campaign touches on more than that – The fact that It’s important to be grateful for what you do have. I’m grateful I’m finally in better health than i I was. I have a nice home to live in and I have my husband and my dog to share it with. I have my job and I have my family & my friends. Even after his death, Gerry is making people think about these things. If this campaign even saves one persons life, it’s worth it.
I am grateful to myself for having the common sense to not smoke in the first place.
I’m grateful I can turn on the TV or Internet without seeing the face of a recently deceased relative, which would worsen already-raw emotional wounds.
Or you could see the positive affects a family member is having on society even though they died,and that even though he’s dead he’s family can still hear he’s voice and see him..
I said what I was really thinking, and then voiced my gratitude for it. What could be more positive than that?
Wonderful human being God rest him. Bill o’Herlihy please note.
Im grateful to my family and friends who helped me to kick the cigs 2.5 years ago. I found it very tough but promised myself I would save the money and some day get major dental work ( implants etc and a fab new white smile) .
Well today was that day and I almost cried with happiness this morning coming out of that dental hospital . Good luck to everyone trying to kick the habit. It is not easy but so rewarding. Also read Allen Carr book. It is worth a read.
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