I lost my dad to lung cancer - now I'm fighting to raise the legal smoking age with Cancer Research UK

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Her dad began smoking when he was only 13 years old.

A Lancashire woman who lost her dad to lung cancer urged the region's MPs to back a proposed law to raise the legal age for buying tobacco.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Celia Rigby-O'Neill, 52, says her dad, Alec, started smoking when he was only 13 years old.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 and died just three weeks later, meaning he sadly missed out on walking Celia down the aisle at her wedding.

Alec with his daughter Celia Rigby-O'Neill. He was just 13 years old when he started smokingAlec with his daughter Celia Rigby-O'Neill. He was just 13 years old when he started smoking
Alec with his daughter Celia Rigby-O'Neill. He was just 13 years old when he started smoking | Contributed

Celia, who lives with her husband Darren in Blackpool, said: "I remember smoke would fill the living room at my parent's house, like so many homes back then.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It used to sting my eyes. My dad quit smoking after he had a heart attack and then suddenly one day a few years later he couldn't breathe.

"They thought it was a chest infection, but doctors then discovered that it was lung cancer.

"They said he had six months to live, but he died three weeks later aged 86."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Celia is calling on the public to email their MP and encourage them to vote in favour of the legislationCelia is calling on the public to email their MP and encourage them to vote in favour of the legislation
Celia is calling on the public to email their MP and encourage them to vote in favour of the legislation | Contributed

When she turned 50 Celia stopped smoking herself saying she didn't want "history to repeat itself".

"He didn't make it to our wedding, so he didn't walk me down the aisle," she added.

"It was a horrific way to watch him die, I felt so helpless, and it has since impacted me desperately.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I used to smoke on and off since I was a teenager, then I started getting chest infections, and I knew I had to stop.

"I didn't want to put Darren through what I had been through."

Cancer Research UK estimated that if the legislation was successfully implemented, up to 1.1 million fewer cigarettes would be smoked in the North West (Credit: Andres Siimon)Cancer Research UK estimated that if the legislation was successfully implemented, up to 1.1 million fewer cigarettes would be smoked in the North West (Credit: Andres Siimon)
Cancer Research UK estimated that if the legislation was successfully implemented, up to 1.1 million fewer cigarettes would be smoked in the North West (Credit: Andres Siimon) | Andres Siimon on Unsplash

The call from Celia, who works as a civil servant, came as new analysis by Cancer Research UK estimated that if the legislation was successfully implemented, up to 1.1 million fewer cigarettes would be smoked in the North West each day by 2040.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If passed, it would raise the legal age of sale of tobacco products in England by one year every year, meaning anyone born on or after January 1, 2009 will never be legally sold cigarettes. 

The legislation, introduced to Parliament on Wednesday, is now heading towards a crucial vote later this spring.

Celia is calling on the public to email their MP and encourage them to vote in favour of the legislation at cruk.org/SmokefreeGeneration.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: "I would appeal to everyone to use their democratic right to have a voice.

"The upcoming vote is a critical milestone towards ending the devastating effects of smoking, which has caused nothing but pain for us.

"For the sake of future generations we must do everything we can to make sure MPs get this over the line."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cancer Research UK said Age of Sale legislation was a vital step on the journey to a smokefree UK.

Jemma Humphreys, the charity’s North West spokeswoman, said: "The biggest cause of cancer has no place in our future.

"Nothing would have a bigger impact on reducing the number of preventable deaths in the region than ending smoking.

"So, we must make sure our MPs are behind this critically important Age of Sale legislation. Together, we can make a smokefree generation a reality.” 

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.