DHCC ’Quit and Win‘ Participants Celebrate 30 Days of Smoke-Free Living
Dubai: 1 July, 2009 – Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), a member of Tatweer, today announced 50 per cent of the participants have successfully quit smoking since the start of the 30-day campaign ‘Quit and Win’ on World No Tobacco Day, exceeding the international benchmark of 20-24 per cent for the programme.
Participants and supporters came together at a festive event in the Burjuman mall sharing stories about their experience of giving up the life-threatening addiction and how they were already feeling the positive effects of not smoking.
Domenic Zaffino, Managing Director of a furniture company, who had been smoking for 20 years, said:
I should have quit a long time ago, but I needed a motive. The Quit and Win contest was a great opportunity for me to let go this deadly habit. I am glad I was able to share my day to day experience with other people that I hope will benefit them. I am grateful to DHCC consultants for their extensive follow ups and tips, which have been a source of great support to all smokers and have helped the campaign succeed.
Rowena Vilar, a fitness center administrator and a smoker for eight years, said:
I encourage all smokers to enroll in such programme before it is too late. You will start to feel the difference from day one.
Dr Ayesha Almutawa, Vice President for the Centre for Healthcare Planning and Quality, the regulatory body for DHCC said:
DHCC is committed to improving lives and I am delighted to hear so many success stories today, as a result of the Quit and Win programme. It takes personal strength and commitment to break such an addiction and the former smokers here today are an inspiration to the millions of smokers out there who have not yet been able to make that life-changing decision to stop. Quit and Win demonstrates that with the right support and approach, you can achieve what may seem inconceivable at the time.
In addition to gaining back their health, successful participants were entered into draw to win a range of prizes generously donated by Quit and Win sponsors: Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Burjuman, Noor Dubai - Dubai Media Group, Prism, Johnson & Johnson, Dubai Ladies Club, Grand Cinemas, Wild Wadi Waterpark, Jumeirah Group, Arab Media Group (AMG), Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), Dubai Polo Club and Equestrian Club, and the fitness group Hayya!
The ‘quitters’ also received a certificate and gift to mark their personal achievement.
Quit and Win was coordinated as part of a nationwide No Tobacco Campaign organized by ExHealth and sponsored by Green Crescent.
Notes to Editors
About DHCC:
Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) is envisioned to become the internationally recognized location of choice for quality healthcare and an integrated regional center of excellence for clinical and wellness services, medical education and life science research in the Middle East. DHCC is the world’s first healthcare free zone planned to be built in phases. The first phase of 4.1 million square feet is now operational with a medical cluster comprised of day-care and outpatient clinics, diagnostic centers, rehabilitation centers, transplantation centers, hospitals and a sector for pharmaceutical and equipment suppliers.
DHCC is home to the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Academic Medical Center with its fully integrated five entities in Phase 1: University Hospital, Harvard Medical School Dubai Center- Institute for Postgraduate Education and Research (HMSDC), Dubai Harvard Foundation for Medical Research (DHFMR), Al Maktoum Harvard Medical Library, and Boston University Institute for Research and Education.
Some other renowned partners of the medical cluster are - Dubai Bone & Joint Center (DBAJ), The City Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Center, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Swiss Academy of Scientific Acupuncture, Dr. Nicolas & ASP and the German Heart Center, Wyeth, Sanofi Aventis, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Smith & Nephew, Fresenius Medical Care, Novo Nordisk, among others.
The second phase will feature a dedicated wellness cluster comprised of Wellness centers, Nutrition centers, Resorts, Spas, and Sports Medicine facilities.
About Tatweer
Tatweer is a member of Dubai Holding and one of the largest and fastest growing business conglomerates in the region. Tatweer’s name is synonymous with some of the largest developments in Dubai and an equally extensive portfolio of prestigious projects in the pipeline.
Launched in December 2005, Tatweer owns and manages a strategic group of entities across six diverse industry verticals: Leisure and Entertainment, Commodities, Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and Real Estate.
Tatweer currently focuses on project development within the UAE and advance strategic long term partnerships such as Partners-Harvard Medical International; the internationally renowned golfer Tiger Woods; IRCA Global, and Universal Studios.
Tatweer’s entities comprise Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), Dubailand®, The Tiger Woods Dubai, Bawadi®, Dubai Industrial City, Global Village, IRCA Middle East, Mizin, and Dubai Mercantile Exchange.
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