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Dorothy Panowicz, pictured with her husband, Tony, holds her Light of Wellness Award. Both Dorothy and Tony Panowicz stopped smoking this past summer. |
Today, a few months after smoking her last cigarette, the Business and Finance staff assistant makes the climb with ease.
“I’m not nearly as out of breath as I was before,” Panowicz said. “It’s making a big difference there.”
Panowicz was one of 11 Omaha-area people honored last week with the William M. Kizer Light of Wellness Award, presented by the Wellness Council of the Midlands. The award, in its second year, is given to employees who have best modeled successful changes in their health habits as a result of their companies’ wellness programs.
The Light of Wellness Award was created to recognize the founder and inspiration for worksite wellness in America, Omaha native and business leader William M. Kizer. Kizer founded WELCOM in 1982 and the Wellness Councils of America, the national non-profit organization, in 1987. He is chairman of the board of Central States Indemnity. Nominees have to meet criteria in five categories including social, physical, intellectual, spiritual and emotional health.
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“In order to be nominated for the award, these individuals had to demonstrate a significant positive lifestyle change they made and sustained for a substantial amount of time,” said Howie Halperin, executive director of WELCOM. “They are the models of what Bill Kizer envisioned for worksite wellness and the positive impact it can have on individuals and the success of their companies.”
Panowicz “wasn’t on the devil’s door or anything,” but a few health problems led her and her husband, Tony, to decide to quit smoking. So she enrolled in a smoking-cessation course, taught by UNMC’s Dave Daughton, and she hasn’t smoked since June 16.
“It’s really, really tough, but it can definitely be done,” said Panowicz, who began smoking in her teens. “The more support and help you can get, the better. Dave’s program was good in that it told us what to expect and how to overcome things like cravings.”
“I would definitely encourage anyone to take the class. It was very helpful.”
For Panowicz, atomic fire balls provided something to suck on when cravings hit. Still, she didn’t gain weight.
Jayme Nekuda, manager of Health Promotion at UNMC, nominated Panowicz for the Light of Wellness Award. In her nomination letter, Nekuda noted that Panowicz not only stopped smoking, but she also has achieved a healthier weight through a walking regimen and a Weight Watchers program.
“Dorothy turned over a new leaf concerning her health and the choices that she can make influencing it,” Nekuda said. “She is making tremendous progress toward an all-round healthier lifestyle.”
Panowicz, for one, is a little embarrassed about winning the award, noting that many people who participated in her smoking-cessation class would be worthy recipients.
She is excited, however, about the new car that she and Tony were able to purchase with the money they saved by not smoking.
“It cost me a fortune, 30-some years of smoking,” Panowicz said. “It’s nice to be able to afford a new car, and it’s nice that the car has never been smoked in.”