CDC Mourns Loss of ‘Tips From Former Smokers’ Campaign Participant Suzy Ellis
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is mourning the passing of Suzy Ellis, a former smoker who bravely shared her story as part of the agency’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign. Ellis, 57, died following a stroke that doctors attributed to her years of smoking. Her participation in the campaign aimed to prevent others from starting or encourage current smokers to quit.
Ellis’s story served as a powerful testament to the health risks of tobacco use and the possibility of recovery. The CDC’s Tips campaign, launched in 2012, features real people who have suffered from smoking-related diseases and disabilities. It’s a cornerstone of the agency’s efforts to reduce tobacco-related illness and death, which remains a leading cause of preventable disease in the United States.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Suzy Ellis, a devoted mother, voracious reader, and entrepreneur,” said Laura Chanchien Parajón, MD, MPH, Director (Acting) of the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Suzy believed that tobacco education campaigns like Tips could make a difference,encouraging people who had never smoked not to start,and showing those who did smoke that quitting was possible.”
Ellis quit smoking after suffering a stroke and subsequently shared her experience with the CDC for the tips campaign. Her videos and story are available on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/stories/suzy.html. The CDC extends its deepest condolences to Ellis’s family and friends.
