Let’s get rid of Hep B and C!
On Monday night we had a team of three people explore the changes and options in treating Hep B & C that can improve outcomes for people inflicted with hepatitis.
Firstly, Kevin Sheehan, from the Rotary Club of Melbourne explained that Hepaitis Victoria ( now incorporated in LiverWELL) had been one of their Club’s Rotary Downunder Centenary projects for almost ten years.
Kay Dufty, one of LiverWell’s Health Promotion Officers, helps to promote good health for people with Hepatitis B (227000 people in Australia) and C (130000 suffered) and viral hepatitis (29000). The liver is a vital organ in the body, and its inflammatory decline is called the silent epidemic, as symptoms often do not occur until late in its decline in function. Kay explained that both hepatitis B and C are blood borne, from sharing needles, non-sterile tattoos, medical procedures - thankfully a low incidence and workplace accidents such as needle stick injury. Mother to baby transfer can also occur. In 305 of cases, Hep B & C develop into cancer, and it is one of the faster growing cancers in Australia. Hepatitis B can be prevented with vaccination, and managed with careful monitoring, but Hep C can now be cured. Rotary has an End Hepatitis Now project, which Kay encouraged our club to support, and called us to action for World Hepatitis Day on 29th July.
We then heard Jane’s personal story, as a long serving public service management level employee who had experimented with party drugs, ceasing in 1984 but who fell ill in 2010, having been carrying the disease all that time. Once diagnosed, (which took some time) we shared her horror at the diagnosis and terrifying options, and she found Hepatitis Vic personnel very helpful. She reduced her workload and received family support, and has been cured through Hep C which has become available in the last decade. She now works to increase public awareness of treatments available, esp
Thank you Kevin, Kay and Jane for helping us to understand Hepatitis from your three perspectives and giving so generously of your time and experience for our Club’s benefit.