BMH Celebrates Going Tobacco-Free

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital President and CEO Barry Beeman receives the award from the
Vice President for Health Initiatives for Vermont American Cancer Society, Deborah Dameron, MSPH, as Kelly Stoddard, Director of Government Relations & Advocacy for the ACS looks on.

After many months of planning, on Thursday, November 20, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital became a tobacco-free hospital. The day chosen to mark the transition was the 2008 National Great American Smoke-Out Day. The celebration was noted by the attendance of two representatives from the American Cancer Society, Deborah Dameron, MSPH, Vice President for Health Initiatives for Vermont, and Kelly Stoddard, Director of Government Relations & Advocacy for the ACS, along with two Vermont government officials, Senator Jeanette White and Representative Patty O’Donnell.

Many members of staff, including those on the BMH Tobacco Task Force who worked to see this day come to fruition, were in attendance for the presentation in the MapleView Café of the hospital.

In her presentation to BMH CEO Barry Beeman, Dameron said the following: "This afternoon the American Cancer Society is delighted to honor Brattleboro Memorial Hospital for its decision to create a smoke-free campus. Our experience with businesses throughout Vermont and across the country shows tobacco-free facilities like BMH enjoy a more heatlhful workplace, improved public image, and reduced costs, among other benefits.
                                          
“In spite of the many benefits to becoming smoke-free, it was not an easy decision and there were many challenges leading to today’s ceremony. I want to congratulate Brattleboro Memorial Hospital CEO Barry Beeman for leading this courageous effort, and the BMH Tobacco Task Force and hospital board for supporting him.
“And so, on the day of The Great American Smoke Out, we take great pleasure in presenting Barry Beeman and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital with this award celebrating their decision to go smoke-free!"
                                                           

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