Mr. Cheung started smoking when he was around 14 -15 years old. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer at the age of 60 and underwent total cystectomy. Mr. Cheung will share his experiences and feelings on the matter in the video.
Besides lung cancer, smoking also causes other cancers, such as bladder cancer. Studies show that smoking increases the risk of bladder cancer by about 50%. In Hong Kong, there is an average of about 400 new cases of bladder cancer every year. Most of them are between 55 to 70 years old. Mr. Cheung, aged 65, is one of the smokers who was unfortunately diagnosed with bladder cancer.
Mr. Cheung, 65 years old, is a taxi driver. He started smoking when he was about 14 to 15. “I have smoked for about thirty to forty years, about one and a half packs per day,” Mr. Cheung said. He smoked with his friends at first. After starting to work, he smoked with his colleagues. He continued to smoke for many years without quitting. “I used to smoke while eating, drinking, and playing mahjong.” He continued.
A burden to the family
People who get disease from smoking will never forget the day when they are diagnosed, and Mr. Cheung is no exception. That day, he was working as usual. When he took a break and went to the toilet, he found blood in his urine. “I was urinating blood; thick blood.” You can tell how scared he was at that time from his expression. “So I went to the doctor. He told me I was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and asked if I smoked. I said I had smoked for 40 years. He said smoking could cause bladder cancer.” It was a shock to Mr. Cheung, and he was overwhelmed with emotions. “I was shocked at that moment. I did not know what to do. I was worried about becoming a burden to my family.” Mr. Cheung choked up and could barely continue to talk. What he feared was not death, but being a burden to his family.
A rubber band helps quit smoking
Fortunately, the cancer did not cost Mr. Cheung’s life. After he received treatment and had his bladder removed, his body slowly recovered. At the same time, he started quitting. “At that time, I got oral drugs for smoking cessation from the Department of Health. After seven days of taking the drugs, I no longer wanted to smoke and my craving for nicotine decreased. At the same time I told everyone I knew, my friends and relatives, that I had quitted smoking so they could urge me.” Mr. Cheung calmed down and began to talk about the experience and tips on his successful smoking cessation. One of his interesting tips is that he would tie his right index and middle fingers with a rubber band, which were the two fingers he used to hold a cigarette with. “It distracted me from my cravings,” said Mr. Cheung.
During his abstinence, Mr. Cheung had a moment of struggle. Once he went to buy a pack of cigarettes from a convenience store, and was about to light a cigarette. “A thought crossed my mind. I had persisted for so long. I shouldn’t be smoking again. So I threw the whole pack away and quit for good in the end.” Mr. Cheung believed that willpower, determination and the support of friends were crucial for his successful smoking cessation.
After he quitted, his appetite improved and food tasted better. He breathed easier. The cough and sputum caused by smoking were gone too. He cannot stand the smell of cigarettes now.
Inconvenient “urine bag”
Even though Mr. Cheung’s body condition is better than before, his bladder has already been removed due to cancer. He needs to rely on a stoma attached to a bag to store urine. It brings a lot of inconvenience to his daily life. “The biggest inconvenience is when I have to travel long distances. I need to empty the urine bag every two hours. It causes problems when I have to carry passengers for long rides and when there are traffic jams…” To put it simply, no matter where he is, he needs to consider the issue of the urine bag. “I liked to go diving in the past. After the operation, diving is no longer possible for me because there are many bacteria in the water.” Mr. Cheung sighed.
“I am filled with regrets now.” This is Mr. Cheung’s biggest feeling about smoking. “Smoking does you no good. It is a waste of money and harms your family. Smoking is really harmful to your health. I am a perfect example. If you want to be like me, keep smoking!” Mr. Cheung said daringly. In truth, Mr. Cheung wanted all smokers to know that it was never too late to quit in order to avoid illness.