Greendale​ ​Junior​ ​Tells​ ​Her​ ​Family​ ​Tobacco​ ​Story

The following story was written by the Greendale High School FACT Group, a local group of high school students who are part of FACT — a statewide anti-tobacco advocacy organization that aims to educate students and community members on the effects of smoking. For their story, they interviewed Greendale High School Junior Madelyn Drury.

Smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer. During November (Lung Cancer Awareness Month), and other months throughout the year, Greendale High School’s FACT group is working to get the word out about the harmful effects of this addiction.

“The statistics are upsetting; lung cancer causes more deaths than the next three most common cancers (colon, breast and prostate) combined,” said Madelyn Drury, a current junior at Greendale High School (GHS).

“According to the American Lung Association, smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. It causes approximately 90 percent of lung cancer cases and tobacco smoke contains many chemicals that are known to cause lung cancer.”

Drury’s family has suffered the effects of long term smoking. It is this experience that has led her to join the GHS FACT group. “My great grandparents were both smokers. They were born at a time (the late 1920s) when smoking was not a big deal. It almost seemed like it was mildly encouraged. Based on the amount of
advertising showing off its good benefits at the time, there is no doubt why so many people did it.”

“My family members fell into the marketing trap and both smoked the majority of their lives. Eventually they both decided to quit, but unfortunately the damage was already done,” she stated.

Although he quit years before he was diagnosed, Drury’s great grandfather died from Lung Cancer. Years later her great grandmother developed COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). “She was always sick and seemed to always be in pain. She ended up passing due to the severe lung damage.”

This personal understanding of the effects of smoking led to Drury’s decision to participate in FACT. “To see the suffering of my loved ones made me realize what this addiction can do to a person. I loved my great grandparents and my hope is that, by sharing this story, I can help spread the truth about how tobacco is still
killing too many of us in Wisconsin,” she stated. “In Wisconsin alone, almost 8,000 people die each year from some sort of tobacco-related illness.”

FACT is Wisconsin’s youth tobacco prevention program. It is managed by the American Lung Association and coordinated locally by the Tobacco-Free Suburban Milwaukee and Ozaukee Counties coalition. The group participates in multiple advocacy activities, known as FACTivisms (FACT plus activism) hoping to educate their peers and community on the effects of smoking. From chalking the sidewalks with anti-smoking messages to holding events for middle schoolers to test their knowledge of the effects of tobacco use to visiting elementary school classrooms with an tobacco message, students in FACT are reaching out.

“In a blink of an eye, this type of addiction can negatively affect your life, and can negatively affect your family and friends, too,” Drury tells the other youth she meets.

FACT groups throughout Wisconsin work to stop the cycle where it starts -- most often with youth. “Most of Wisconsin’s tobacco users became addicted during their teens,” Drury stated. “That’s terrible, but it also gives FACT members hope because we are teens. We’re smart, and when we’re armed with the truth, we can make informed choices about tobacco.”

To learn more about the work FACT groups do, visit FACTmovement.org.

Photo Caption: Members of the Greendale High and Middle School FACT organization promote an anti-tobacco message within the stadium at Greendale High School. Their cups message reads, "SAVE YOUR MONEY, SAVE YOUR LIFE!" FACT is Wisconsin’s youth tobacco prevention program. It is managed by the American Lung Association and coordinated locally by the Tobacco-Free Suburban Milwaukee and Ozaukee Counties coalition. The group participates in multiple advocacy activities, known as FACTivisms (FACT plus activism) hoping to educate their peers and community on the effects of smoking.

Image Via Greendale School District