Speakers Talk to Wasp Sailors on Dangers of Smoking

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Koons | Joe Marasco (left) hands off the microphone to Tom Olsavicky during the joint presentation both men gave on the dangers of smoking Nov. 18 aboard USS Wasp. Both Marasco and Olsavicky have lost the ability to speak with their normal voices due to the removal of their larynxes as a result of lung cancer caused by smoking and being exposed to second-hand smoke.  

NORFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES

11.18.2010

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Koons 

USS WASP (LHD 1)   

NORFOLK, Va. – As much of the country participated in the American Cancer Society’s annual “Great American Smokeout” Nov. 18, sailors aboard USS Wasp watched as two men who have experienced the ravages caused by either smoking or being around smokers talked about their high personal costs.

Joe Marasco, 63, and Tom Olsavicky, 67, are men who have lost the ability to speak with their normal voices due to the removal of both of their larynxes as a result of lung cancer. Marasco got his cancer as a result of being a lifelong smoker, while Olsavicky, who never smoked, got his due to being around smokers his whole life.

“Every time you smoke, you’re running the risk of that cigarette being the one that gives you cancer,” said Marasco, who spoke through an “Electro-Larynx” machine that is able to simulate speech. “Even if that one doesn’t, you could get it a month or a year from now. The best thing to do is avoid smoking and not take that risk.”

For Olsavicky, living a life free from either smoking or drinking was not enough to save him from being exposed to the effects of second hand smoke.

“I tried smoking in college, but I quit before I finished my first pack,” said Olsavicky. “After college I joined the Air Force, where I worked around smokers. After I retired I became manager of a bowling alley, where the customers smoked a lot. Later, when I worked at the shipyards in Norfolk, I drove to work every day with smokers. Then, in 2006, I woke up one morning and had a hard time speaking. My doctor didn’t think I had cancer since I didn’t smoke, but after repeated tests, they found a cancer underneath my vocal chords.”

The experience of having his larynx removed in 2008 has been a hardship that Olsavicky has had to endure every day since.

“Neither Joe or I have the ability to breath through our noses,” he said. “If I cry, my tears run out through my nose and it looks like it’s running badly. I can’t swim anymore because if I put my head under water my lungs will be flooded. On the bright side, since I have no sense of smell, I’m not bothered by things that stink.”

For those Wasp sailors who smoke, Marasco delivered an unambiguous message.

“If you smoke, stop and never go back,” he said. “Nicotine is an addictive drug. You should also encourage your friends, shipmates, and loved ones not to smoke. You’ll be doing them a favor.”

Some of the Wasp sailors who attended the presentation said they were deeply affected by what they heard.

“It was very insightful, because it showed what happens if you don’t stop smoking, and it’s scary,” said Airman (AW) Kris Heckler, aviation boatswain’s mate (handling).

“It helped to promote a healthier lifestyle and encourage smokers to quit tobacco use of any kind,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class (SW/AW) Yakia Browne, hospital corpsman.

• Date Taken: 11.18.2010
• Date Posted: 11.21.2010 15:17
• Story ID: 60604
• Location: NORFOLK, VA, US