A woman with smoking-related lung disease fears for her life. A young boy longs for the company of his grandpa. A man has to live the rest of his life with a hole in his throat due to throat cancer.

These are just a few of the people featured in The Rapides Foundation’s “Faces of Tobacco,” a new ad campaign that highlights real people who have been affected by tobacco use. The campaign, which runs through November, is designed to demonstrate the far-reaching effects of tobacco use.

“We wanted to show that tobacco use affects more than just the tobacco user,” said Joe Rosier, president and CEO of The Rapides Foundation. “The nine people we are featuring in ‘Faces of Tobacco’ had their lives turned upside down because of tobacco. The sad fact is that tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the United States.”

“Faces of Tobacco” is a component of the Foundation’s Tobacco Prevent and Control Initiative. In addition to the campaign, which is designed to counter the messages of the tobacco industry, the initiative has awarded just under $1 million in grants to support evidence-based programs in Cenla communities. It also established a program that helps Central Louisiana physicians give patients tools to help them quit using tobacco. Another component helps business owners create tobacco-free environments for their employees.

The “Faces of Tobacco” campaign features real people who have been affected by tobacco in various ways. It includes people who died from tobacco-related illness, those grieving the loss of loved ones and others who are living day to day with the devastating consequences of tobacco products.