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FORMER Dublin footballer, who featured in an anti-smoking ad campaign before dying from lung cancer, is being credited with helping 70,000 people kick the habit.
The Republic's Health Service Executive is marking the first anniversary of the death of Gerry Collins (57) by revealing that his Quit campaign ads have been having a powerful impact on smokers since they were first broadcast while he was still alive.
Mr Collins, from Greystones in Co Wicklow, played for Dublin in the 1980 Leinster Football final and coached Kilmacud Crokes.
He had started smoking at the age of 17 and was going through 60 cigarettes a day when he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2008.
He managed to beat the disease with treatment and featured in an advertising campaign for the HSE in 2011, urging people to give up cigarettes.
The father-of-three offered to participate in a second campaign after being given just eight months to live in 2013 when doctors told him he had terminal lung cancer.
Dr Stephanie O'Keeffe of the Republic's Health and Safety Executive yesterday praised Mr Collins got helping to "create hard-hitting and powerful anti-smoking ads" which are still being aired.
Based on uptake of services, the HSE estimates that more than 200,000 quit attempts were made in the Republic since the ads commenced while the number of smokers reduced in 2014 by 70,000 smokers - the largest decrease seen since 2009.
* CAMPAIGNER: Gerry Collins