Hep B Blog

Tag Archives: Hepatitis Awareness Month

Hepatitis B Advocacy, Living with Hepatitis B

#Tri4ACure: From Hepatitis B Diagnosis to Advocating for a Cure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Edwin Tan – a 29-year-old mechanical design engineer from Minneapolis, Minnesota! In 2014, Edwin was diagnosed with hepatitis B. Like many others living with hepatitis B, his diagnosis was a shock. Before his diagnosis, all he knew was that he was banned from giving blood to the Red Cross, but no one had explained the reason why. A routine blood test provided no explanations either, so his doctor decided to test for hepatitis B. The test revealed that Edwin was living with chronic hepatitis B.

After his diagnosis, Edwin decided to learn all that he could about the infection. Through his research, he found that one of the best ways to keep his liver healthy was through small lifestyle changes. Edwin began to pursue healthier life choices by increasing the amount of exercise he was getting and paying closer attention to his diet. Although he loved craft beer, he knew that drinking could be extremely dangerous to those with liver infections, so he willingly gave up all alcohol. Edwin’s dedication to a more active lifestyle led him to challenge himself by competing in local races and triathlons.

Edwin’s journey led him to realize that there is a lack of awareness about hepatitis B. He noticed that the stigmas facing those living with hepatitis B could take a physical and mental toll on an individual and impact how they viewed themselves. Edwin’s observations inspired him to reach out to the Hepatitis B Foundation to raise money and awareness for hepatitis B research, patient outreach, and education. Since his passion for racing was discovered due to his commitment to health after his diagnosis, it seemed appropriate for him to use his love of sports to fundraise for hepatitis B awareness and research! He hopes that his athletic achievements help others living with hepatitis B to realize that they are more than their infection.

Now, Edwin is training for a series of six races—triathlons, a marathon and an ironman – and we’ll be with him every step of the way! You can make a gift to support Edwin’s fundraising efforts here.

“I want to be a positive example against the stigma associated with Hep B and the shame that some people may feel for having it. Completing an Ironman, which is regarded as one of the most difficult one-day athletic events, serves as a good example that we each can accomplish anything we want as long as we believe in ourselves.”

To follow updates on Edwin’s journey, you can follow the Hepatitis B Foundation or Hep B United on Facebook. Be sure to use the hashtag #Tri4ACure!

Hepatitis B Advocacy

Join a Twitter Chat: Organizations Share Highlights From Hepatitis Awareness Month

Join Hepatitis B Foundation, NASTAD and CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis for a Twitter #HepChat at 2 p.m. (EST) Thursday, June 14. The chat will highlight Hepatitis Awareness Month outreach events and allow hepatitis B and C partner organizations to share their successes, challenges and lessons learned from their efforts. HBF’s Kristine Alarcon and Jason Crum, this month’s featured storyteller will also be LIVE on Facebook, so if you’re not on twitter join us at hepbfoundation.

Continue reading "Join a Twitter Chat: Organizations Share Highlights From Hepatitis Awareness Month" →

Hepatitis B Advocacy, Living with Hepatitis B

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month

Hepatitis Awareness Month is dedicated to increasing awareness of hepatitis in the United States and to encourage high risk populations to get tested. If you’re not sure how you can get involved in the hepatitis B community this month, here are some ways you can!

  • Share and spread hepatitis B knowledge. CDC’s Know Hepatitis B Campaign is a great resource to learn more about hepatitis B and to promote testing in your area! They also have great posters, handouts, and videos available in different languages including Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, French, and more! You can also look for some of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s fact sheets and #justB storytelling campaign videos.
  • Join or organize a screening event. May 19th is National Hepatitis Testing Day! Organizations around the country will provide viral hepatitis screenings – both hep B and C! Be sure to look for some Hep B United partners’ websites for screenings in your local area, especially if you’re interested in volunteering.
  • Organize or join a flash mob to increase awareness! With our local hepatitis B campaign in Philadelphia, Hep B United Philadelphia, we held a “B A Hero Flash Mob” in the past. It is a great way to open the discussion about hepatitis B in an engaging and fun way!
  • Become an HBV advocate! You can join our Hep B United Action Center to get all the updates on our advocacy efforts. You can also share your hepatitis B knowledge on social media too!
  • Check out and share Hepatitis Victoria’s Little Hep B Hero book and animation. Hepatitis Victoria created an engaging book to explain hepatitis B to six to twelve-year-old children. Their book is available to order and in English, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese.
  • Join the #HepAware Thunderclap. You can easily share and show your support for CDC Hepatitis’s efforts by joining their Thunderclap by May 19th, Hepatitis Testing Day. You can use Facebook, a Facebook page you manage, Twitter, and Tumblr.
  • Join our international #HepBeLIeVER Social Media Contest. Not only will you be spreading hepatitis B awareness, but you can also get a chance to WIN a $50 AMAZON GIFTCARD and other Hepatitis B Foundation swag. All you have to do is take a picture loving your liver and upload it to Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with #HepBeLIeVER. More information here.

There are endless possibilities to celebrate this month! If you need even more ideas, CDC has a plethora of resources available dedicated to Viral Hepatitis Awareness month. You can also check out our Hepatitis Awareness Month webinar from Hep B United, NASTAD, and CDC or Hep B United and NOHep’s webinar: The NOHep Fight for Elimination!

Hepatitis B Advocacy, Hepatitis B Prevention, Living with Hepatitis B

One in Three People Worldwide Has Had Hepatitis B, So Why Do We Feel So Alone?

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Volunteers from the Rann India Foundation teach villagers about hepatitis B testing and prevention in India.
Volunteers from the Rann India Foundation teach villagers about hepatitis B testing and prevention in India.

By Christine Kukka

Hepatitis B is the global pandemic no one talks about, yet one in three people worldwide has been infected. In 2013, hepatitis B and C together was the seventh-leading cause of death worldwide, with hepatitis B causing 780,000 deaths annually.

Today, 257 million people have chronic hepatitis B. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, the number of people living with hepatitis B virus is projected to remain at the current, unacceptably high level for decades and cause 20 million deaths through 2030.

How can this happen? Viral hepatitis infection and death rates far outstrip that of ebola and zika. In fact, you have to combine the death toll from HIV and tuberculosis to find human suffering on par with what viral hepatitis causes around the world each year. Continue reading "One in Three People Worldwide Has Had Hepatitis B, So Why Do We Feel So Alone?" →

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Twitter Chat: Partner Highlights From Hepatitis Awareness Month

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Join Hep B United, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis, and the Hepatitis B Foundation for a Twitter #HepChat Wednesday, June 15 at 2 p.m. EDT. The chat will highlight Hepatitis Awareness Month outreach events and allow hepatitis B and C partner organizations to share their successes, challenges, and lessons learned from their efforts.

Continue reading "Twitter Chat: Partner Highlights From Hepatitis Awareness Month" →

Hepatitis B Advocacy, Hepatitis B Prevention, Living with Hepatitis B

Celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, And Get Tested for Hepatitis B

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Image courtesy of hin255 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of hin255 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The month of May was selected in 1978 to mark the first major Japanese immigration to the United States (May 7, 1843), and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (May 10, 1869), built primarily by Chinese immigrants.

Like all immigrants, Asians and Pacific Islanders brought with them unique cultures, languages, and lingering health problems from their homeland, including hepatitis B.

This blood-borne infection, unknowingly passed from mother-to-child, is an infection without a cure that would impact Asian immigrants and their children for decades until a vaccine was developed.

Today, administration of the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine along with a dose of HBIG within 12 hours of birth severs this viral legacy and protects newborns from inheriting this infection. But that is not the end of the story. There are still many Asian-Americans who remain infected, and many Asian immigrants arriving today live with hepatitis B.

An estimated one in 12 Asian-Americans currently has hepatitis B, and two in three don’t know they are infected. Their infection rate is more than 20 times higher than that of the total U.S. population. Hepatitis B is the greatest health disparity between Asian-Americans and the general U.S. population. Approximately 1 million Asian-Americans are living with chronic hepatitis B infection – that’s about half of all cases in the United States. Continue reading "Celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, And Get Tested for Hepatitis B" →

Hepatitis B Diagnosis & Monitoring, Hepatitis B Prevention, Liver Cancer

It’s Hepatitis Awareness Month: Five Reasons We Don’t Get Tested, and How to Overcome Them

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Members of Drexel University's Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association participate in a hepatitis B screening program at a Chinese Christian church in Philadelphia.
Members of Drexel University’s Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association participate in a hepatitis B screening program at a Chinese Christian church in Philadelphia.

May is Hepatitis Awareness month. Why do we need an annual reminder about hepatitis B? Because 65 percent of the estimated 2.2 million people in the U.S. living with hepatitis B don’t know they’re infected.

Studies show when people know their hepatitis B status, they’re more likely to get monitored regularly, get treatment, and take steps to avoid passing on the disease to partners and their children.

So why are so many Americans unaware of their hepatitis B infection? Here are five roadblocks that stop us from getting tested for hepatitis B, and what how we can do to overcome them.

We feel fine, so we assume we’re not infected. Hepatitis B rarely causes symptoms. There are very few sensory nerves around the liver, so when a viral hepatitis infection strikes, we rarely feel its effects. As a result, most of us – especially if we were infected as children or newborns – never experience any symptoms for decades. So remember, “feeling OK” is no excuse to avoid testing. Continue reading "It’s Hepatitis Awareness Month: Five Reasons We Don’t Get Tested, and How to Overcome Them" →

Living with Hepatitis B

Make a Vine Video with #HepBUnite for the 2016 Hepatitis B Awareness Campaign!

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How do you unite for hepatitis B?      VINE TO WIN!

 

Join Hep B United for a national hepatitis B awareness campaign. Create an action-oriented awareness message about hepatitis B through a six-second Vine ​video! Hep B United will use selected video entries in its social media efforts in May 2016 to help promote Hepatitis Awareness Month. Your video could be included in its national awareness campaign!

Eligibility: ​Anyone and everyone may participate! You do not have to be a member of Hep B United or any organization.

What to Do: ​Use Vine to create a six-second ​video (click for example) focusing on the 2016 theme “#HepBUnite: How you unite for hepatitis B.” You can create your video alone, or with a group. Your message should focus on how you are united around hepatitis B. You could highlight hepatitis B prevention activities that you participate in, or feature a key fact about hepatitis B in your video. Although not required, Hep B United encourages you to use the materials available from the Know Hepatitis B campaign!

How to Enter:

  1. Between April 11 and April 29, post your video to either Vine, Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to include the hashtag “​ #hepbunite”​ and tag @HepBUnited.
  2. Submit your video link with your name and contact information by e-mail to connect@hepbunited.org​.

Contest Entry Requirements

  1. Each video must be original.
  2. Each video must include the hashtag ​“#hepbunite” and tag @HepBUnited on Twitterand/or Facebook in order to track the videos.
  3. Videos should not include any material that would require the consent of any third party or violate any copyright, privacy right, or any other right of a third party. If used, Know Hepatitis B campaign materials should be used in their entirety and retain the CDC and HBU logos.
  4. Submissions including offensive language, imagery or themes will be excluded from the competition.

Be Creative and Have Fun!

  • Be creative to get across your hepatitis B awareness message!
  • Need inspiration? Looking for video ideas? Consider “linking arms,” “flexing your muscles to combat hep B,” “running in a group,” “group high five,” or “shout out with office staff/community groups!”
  • Check out the ​Hep B United or ​Know Hepatitis B Campaign website for background statistics and resources you can use!

Selection of Winners and Prizes

  • Selected videos will be included in the 2016 May Hepatitis Awareness Month Hep B United social media campaign.
  • Selected videos will be included in the creation of additional materials promoting hepatitis B awareness around the U.S.
  • Three finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges as best exemplifying the 2016 #HepBUnite theme.
  • A Grand Prize winner will be chosen from the three finalists and will win $100. The two remaining finalists will each win $50.
  • The finalists will be notified by email, and the grand prize winning video will be revealed to the public in mid-May through social media and press releases.

Selected entries will be included in the Hep B United social media campaign! Two finalists will win $50 each!
One Grand Prize winner will win $100!

Submission Period: Post and submit your Vines between
April 11 and April 29, 2016, (contest closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 29)

Questions? Please contact Pavitri Dwivedi at ​Pavitri.Dwivedi@hepb.org

Hepatitis B Diagnosis & Monitoring, Liver Cancer, Living with Hepatitis B

Get Tested for Liver Cancer, Your Life May Depend on It

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Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

October is Liver Cancer Awareness Month. It may be a sleeper of a event when compared to other health campaigns, but for us who live with viral hepatitis, it’s an uncomfortable but critical reminder of the importance of monitoring our liver health to prevent cancer.

Viral hepatitis, especially B and C, are viral infections that can cause liver cancer  (also called hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC.) Researchers are still studying why some people are more prone to liver cancer, but we who live with chronic hepatitis B or C have a 25 to 40 percent lifetime risk of developing liver cancer. The infection, which hijacks our liver cells to manufacture more virus, causes inflammation, scarring and even cancer as the liver cells grow out of control.

The longer we are infected with viral hepatitis, the higher our risk of developing liver cancer. While liver cancer often occurs in people with cirrhosis (severe liver scarring), some of us develop cancer without cirrhosis. Continue reading "Get Tested for Liver Cancer, Your Life May Depend on It" →

Baruch S. Blumberg Institute