Get ready to butt out, Cochrane.
Retiring pharmacist Kelly Kimmett has one final health ask of the community, as he celebrates his retirement this Saturday, June 15 following 30 years of practice as a pharmacist at TWO Pharmacy.
Cochrane Quits Smoking Day, as proclaimed by Mayor Jeff Genung and council on Monday night, will run in conjunction with TWO Pharmacy's 30th anniversary and Kelly's retirement party with a free pancake breakfast from 9 a.m to 11 a.m. at the store location.
Following that, there will be a smoking cessation clinic held at the Cochrane Lions Event Centre, beginning at 1 p.m. with a keynote speaker, tips to quit, free samples and information on a new approach to quitting smoking.
"We're going to take a run at it," chuckled Kelly at his ambitious project, highlighting that an average of 35 Cochranites will die this year from smoking in his presentation to council.
“Smoking is deadly and harms everyone … Health Canada estimates that over 45,000 Canadians die each year from smoking-related illnesses. In fact, smoking accounts for one in five preventable deaths each year – which is more than alcohol, traffic accidents, homicides and suicides combined,” explained Kimmett, adding that he lost his own father to lung cancer at age 67 in 1991, who he “watched suffer from this horrible disease.”
While Kelly will stay on with TWO Pharmacy, a business he started with his wife and business partner Dianne 30 years ago, he is looking forward to more travel and time spent with their three grandchildren.
To celebrate a life well lived and a career that has come full circle, Kelly will dole out his final prescription to the same person who he first dispensed to three decades ago.
"I think I maybe filled his first prescription," laughed Doug Cave, 86, who was asked to be the honoured final precription that Kelly would fill this Saturday at 11 a.m.
"They're always been good friends," he said, adding that Dianne was a "good nurse" to his first wife, who died from cancer.
Free registration for the smoking cessation clinic is available at twopharmacy.ca under 'Events.'
The Saturday celebration will also feature store deals and giveaways.
