Marinette, Wis. - Smokers across the nation will be participating in the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout on Thursday, Nov. 20 by smoking less, quitting smoking for the day or quitting smoking forever.

The event challenges people to stop using tobacco and raises awareness of the many ways to quit smoking for good.

To help its patients in the Marinette area, Aurora Health Care is offering free smoking cessation information packets at the following locations:

• Aurora Marinette Menominee Clinic in Peshtigo, 441 French Street
• Aurora Marinette Menominee Clinic, 3130 Shore Drive, 2nd floor, Marinette
• Aurora Health Center, 4061 Old Peshtigo Road, Marinette
• Aurora Health Center, 530 Smith Avenue, Oconto

Packets will be available at the front desk area.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both American men and women. According to the American Cancer Society, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined.

To learn more about smoking cessation, visit www.aurora.org and type in "smoking" in the "search" box. Or, call 715-732-8000 to schedule an appointment with an Aurora provider to discuss smoking cessation.

Aurora Health Center in Marinette offers the expertise of O. Halaweh, M.D., a board-certified oncologist, hematologist and internal medicine physician, at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic.

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin health care provider and a national leader in efforts to improve the quality of health care. Aurora offers care at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin.

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Contact: Jen Strebel (920-496-6369)