Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS & The Brain Exhibition Partners with American Lung Association to Launch Anti-Smoking Campaign at the Saint Louis Science Center
ST. LOUIS - One of the many dramatic displays in the various Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS exhibitions features blackened smokers lungs compared to healthy lungs. This striking comparison has moved BODY WORLDS visitors from all over the world to quit smoking.
BODY WORLDS & The Brain, in partnership with the American Lung Association and the Saint Louis Science Center, is launching the "Smoke Out September" Campaign - a month-long smoking cessation program during September which will encourage the St. Louis community to quit smoking. The goal of the "Smoke Out September" Campaign is to succeed in getting at least 90 St. Louisans to pledge to quit their smoking habit.
The "Smoke Out September" Campaign is a part of the overall BODY WORLDS organization's I Quit Initiative, which was conceived after exhibition cleaning crews kept finding unfinished packs of cigarettes on the glass display case containing the smoker's lung.
"Each rejected pack marked a victory by one person against nicotine addiction," said Dr. Angelina Whalley, a physician, designer and curator of the BODY WORLDS exhibitions. "Many visitors to the exhibition reported that they had tried everything but only stopped after seeing the smoker's lung." While considering a formal smoking cessation program, she remembered the dramatic public service announcement by the actor Yul Brynner before his death from cancer in 1985. "I wanted to unite his message to the donor's lungs to inspire people to give up smoking," Whalley said.
BODY WORLDS & The Brain, now featured at the Science Center, will launch the "Smoke Out September" Campaign on Wednesday, September 1 and will continue throughout the month of September and on to exhibit's run ending October 5, 2011. The awareness initiative will feature an inspirational smoking cessation signage and displays, pledge cards for visitors intending to give up smoking and a repository where visitors can leave their last packs of cigarettes. There will also be take-home informational brochures from the American Lung Association about the hazards of smoking and the smoking cessation resources available through the association's local St. Louis office.
"The American Lung Association is excited to partner with BODY WORLDS & The Brain in motivating people to quit smoking," said Sara Dreiling, Chief Executive Officer of the American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region. "Quitting smoking is the single most important step a smoker can take to improve the length and quality of his or her life, and our smoking cessationprograms and Lung HelpLine support them in that effort."
As a part of the "Smoke Out September" Campaign, the American Lung Association will be distributing BODY WORLDS I Quit! Pledge Cards through their community outreach efforts, programs and events around the St. Louis area during the month of September.
The American Lung Association will also participate in a special event at the Science Center on Saturday, September 17, called "Smoke Out Saturday". The organization will be onsite at the BODY WORLDS & The Brain Exhibition from 1:00 to 3:00 pm that afternoon, with community outreach representatives and special interactive activities and information about changing habits in order to lead a healthy, smoke-free lifestyle.
"Seeing the lungs of smokers can have a powerful effect on visitors," notes Dr. Cindy Encarnacian, Ph.D., Director of Life Sciences for the Saint Louis Science Center.
For more information about the "Smoke Out September" Campaign at the BODY WORLDS & The Brain Exhibition, and the Science Center's community education and outreach programs, the public may call 800.456.SLSC or visit slsc.org
Additional information regarding the BODY WORLDS I Quit! Initiative is also available at bodyworlds.com |
