“I knew I had to quit for my family”- Smoking Survivor John opens up about his heart attack

• Smoking doubles your risk of dying from heart disease or stroke – but just one cigarette a day increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Vital for people who have cut down to quit completely

A former North East smoker who suffered a sudden heart attack at the age of just 48 is joining calls across the region encouraging people to quit.

For No Smoking Day 2025 (Wednesday, March 12) John Stephenson, from Stockton, is sharing his story as part of Fresh’s Smoking Survivors campaign. John now works in smoking cessation for South Tees Public Health to help other people quit smoking.

Smoking doubles the risk of dying from heart disease and stroke (1). But just one cigarette a day is also proven to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart disease and stroke (2).

Smoking is the biggest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, causing around 15,000 deaths in the UK every year (3). The chemicals in tobacco smoke make the walls of your arteries sticky. This causes fatty material to stick to the walls. The fatty material can begin to clog your arteries and reduce the space for blood to flow properly (3).

if the arteries that carry blood to your heart get clogged, it can lead to a heart attack, and if the arteries that carry blood to your brain get clogged, it can lead to a stroke (3).

John, 49, a father and grandfather, was at work in February 2023 when he suffered chest pains. He was rushed to hospital and told he was having a massive heart attack. John underwent surgery to have three stents fitted and afterwards the doctors told him it had been touch and go.

John said: “On the day it happened I kept getting terrible chest pains and the doctor came in and said you’re having a massive heart attack. Smoking was making every organ, including my heart, work much harder.

“I remember saying to him ‘Am I going to be alright?’ and he just looked at me and said, ‘I can’t say, I can’t promise you that’. When my wife and mam came in to see me, the colour drained from them, and it was like I was watching them being told I was already dead.

“All I could imagine was the impact it was going to have on my kids and grandkids. I needed to be around for my family and I knew I had to quit smoking to live for them.

“I have now been smokefree for 18 months and the difference is incredible. I feel healthier and enjoy life again – I’m able to play on the beach with my grandkids.

“My advice for anyone trying to quit smoking is if you don’t succeed, treat it as a blip, not a failure. Each time is different, and you can try something else. Try again and you will get there.

“The fact is that even if you smoke just one cigarette a day, you’re raising your risks of going through the living nightmare that I did. Don’t ever think it won’t happen to you.”

Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “Smoking is still one of our biggest causes of death, disease and hospital admissions in the North East. Tobacco addiction has killed over 125,000 people in the region since the year 2000 alone.

“Smoking doubles your risk of dying from heart disease – but you have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke if you smoke just one cigarette a day. If you’ve only cut down, it is vital to quit smoking completely, and if you are vaping to quit, don’t smoke tobacco as well.

“The Smoking Survivors campaign has helped inspire thousands of people to quit smoking and keep going in the North East. We applaud people like John for sharing their stories to inspire other people to quit smoking and avoid the suffering and intense worry.”

Dr Saira Malik, Sunderland GP and clinical lead for cardiovascular disease, North East and North Cumbria (ICB), said: “Smoking remains one of the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease, causing serious harm to the heart and blood vessels. As a GP, I see first-hand the devastating impact it has—not just on my patients’ health, but on their loved ones too.

“Reducing smoking rates is one of the most effective ways to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other life-threatening conditions, helping people live longer, healthier lives. Within a year of quitting, the risk of a heart attack is cut by 50%.

“We all want our loved ones to live healthy, happy lives, but passive smoking increases the risk of lung and heart disease, as well as lung cancer, for those around us—young and old. By stopping smoking, you’re not just protecting yourself, but also safeguarding your loved ones from preventable, life-altering illnesses.

“Every step we take to support people in quitting smoking improves individual health, strengthens communities, eases pressure on the NHS, and helps build a healthier future for everyone.”

The Smoking Survivors campaign highlights the powerful, life-changing stories of people harmed by smoking. It is part of a commitment by all 12 North East local authorities and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board for a smokefree future as set out in a declaration to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco.

Visit FreshQuit.co.uk for tips, advice and local quit support.