Wareham resident Anika Bartie was recently inducted into the statewide Ex-Smokers' Hall of Fame during a ceremony at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston, where she is a receptionist.

The Ex-Smokers’ Hall of Fame is a statewide initiative of the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program that honors those who have been successful in quitting smoking in hopes that their stories will inspire others to quit.

When Bartie quit smoking for good last September, it was her determination and her need to fulfill a wish of her late father's that led to her success. She utilized several strategies, including nicotine patches, calling the 1-800-QUIT-NOW help line, and visiting www.makesmokinghistory.org.

Bartie said that the most helpful strategy for quitting was to identify each and every small trigger and to create a safe zone for herself – a place where she wouldn’t be reminded of smoking.

“Removing triggers is key," Bartie said. "Don’t set yourself up for failure.”

In the upcoming year, Bartie will be featured in a Massachusetts Department of Public Health tobacco cessation campaign.

“We want to congratulate Ms. Bartie for her success in quitting and her enthusiasm for sharing her quit story publicly. She will serve as an inspiration to others who are considering taking such a big step in improving their health by quitting smoking,” said Elizabeth Tanefis, Program Manager of the Metro-Boston Tobacco Free Community Partnership, which sponsored the event.

Bartie joined several other employees of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center as new members of the Ex-Smokers’ Hall of Fame at the May 31 ceremony, including other receptionists, registered nurses, maintenance workers, and senior directors – all of whom shared their individual struggles in quitting smoking.

Bartie had her quit story profiled on a poster display for the event. She joins hundreds of other ex-smokers from across Massachusetts who have been inducted since the Hall of Fame’s inception in 2010.

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in Massachusetts, yet 8,000 Massachusetts residents die each year from smoking.

Research has shown that 77% of Massachusetts smokers want to quit, yet they need support in doing so. For many people, quitting smoking is one of the most difficult things they have ever done.

The Metro Boston Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, the sponsor of the event, supports communities’ efforts to lower smoking prevalence and exposure to secondhand smoke; enhance state and local tobacco control efforts by exposing tobacco industry tactics, mobilize the community to support and adopt evidence-based policies, and change social norms.

Funded by the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention program, Community Partnerships serve as a resource for local coalitions, health and human service agencies, municipalities, and workplaces on tobacco intervention efforts.