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Tag Archives: Hepatitis B Foundation Events

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!

Vlog: What Do We Do at a Hep B Screening?

Join Kristine Alarcon, MPH for A Day in the Life of a Public Health Coordinator to learn about some of the activities we at the Hepatitis B Foundation take part in!

This episode highlights our events for our local program, Hep B United Philadelphia, during January 2018. We show you the “behind-the-scenes” of a hepatitis B screening event.

2017 A Year in Review

Play our podcast clip here!!

2017 was a big year for us at the Hepatitis B Foundation! I’ll give you a rundown of some of our accomplishments over the year.  

We started the year off with a fresh new look! We got a new logo!  

We also launched our national storytelling campaign, “#justB: Real people sharing real stories of hepatitis B,” in partnership with StoryCenter and AAPCHO. Fifteen people have shared their stories to bring a human face to hepatitis B and help increase public awareness, decrease stigma and discrimination, and promote testing and treatment for hepatitis B. Look for new stories in the coming year! 

We have had a few additions to the HBF leadership team this year. Dr. Nat Brown, Ram Kapur, Dr. Su Wang, and Dr. Carol Brosgart all joined our board of directors. Dr. Francis Chisari and Dr. Robert Perrillo joined the scientific and medical advisory board.  

After 25 years of service, our amazing and dedicated co-founder Joan Block retired in June. Without Joan, we would not have many of the programs we have today, especially the ones that provide multi-platform, multi-lingual educational materials, newsletters, and email and telephone helplines. She also pioneered a robust advocacy presence in Washington, D.C. that has resulted in hepatitis B becoming a protected condition under the Americans With Disabilities Act to prevent discrimination, and increased federal funding for hepatitis B and liver cancer research. 

May was definitely a big month. Not only because we had numerous screening events and celebrations for Hepatitis Awareness Month, but also because we launched our Hep B Cure Campaign. The Hep B Cure Campaign is a national advocacy campaign to Double the Federal Funding within five years for hepatitis B and liver cancer research and public health. In March, we convened a virtual workshop with more than 30 of the world’s leading scientists to determine the research needed to find a cure for hepatitis B, and identify specific research projects in virology, immunology, and liver cancer, as well as strategies for expanding clinical research for therapeutic drug testing. The Hep B Cure Campaign is calling for increased federal investment to accelerate the pace of research for a cure, which will also significantly improve health and economic outcomes. Our full plan can be found in our “Roadmap for a Cure,” which can be found on our website. 

Every year, we hold the crystal ball gala, our signature fundraising event. This event gives us a chance to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to hepatitis B, and to our local Doylestown community. This year, Professor Mario Rizzetto, MD was awarded the Baruch S. Blumberg Prize for his discovery of the hepatitis delta virus. Marvin and Dee Ann Woodall were honored with the 2017 Community Commitment Award, and our own Joan Block was recognized with the distinguished Founders’ Award. 

Just last week, it was announced that Hepatitis B Foundation’s president and co-founder, Dr. Timothy Block, was named a 2017 National Academy of Inventors Fellow! This is the highest professional accolade given to academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and welfare of society. Congratulations Dr. Block!  

Also during this year, our programs expanded, and our reach grew!  

We updated our website in 2016 and we’re so glad to see that you have found us. We’re close to 1.5 million unique page views for the year, which is about 4,000 people visiting our website every day!  

The Hepatitis B Foundation grew its’ social media reach to over 14,500 followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We’re close to 10,000 likes on Facebook! Hopefully, we’ll hit 10 K before the end of the year! Ask your friends to follow us and like the page!  

The Hepatitis Delta Connect program had a breakout year since its 2016 launch with over 11,000 website views from over 4,000 patients and providers in 92 countries! Hepatitis Delta Connect reaches 4,650 people on social media through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Not bad for the first-of-its kind outreach and awareness program! 

With Hep B United, our national coalition, we distributed 6 mini-grants this year and held 12 hep B virtual training seminars reaching 2,000 live attendees and nearly 6,000 online viewers! We also had a record number of attendees at our annual Hep B United Summit during World Hepatitis Day in Washington D.C.! Together, our partners screened 4,649 people, educated 11,884 people, gave out 13,112 hepatitis B handouts, and were featured in 2 newspapers, 1 TV appearance (496,189 views), and 1 social media video. Hep B United has a social media reach that includes over 1,500 people across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

Our newest program, the #justB storytelling campaign, has been very successful so far. We now have 15 storytellers, ranging in age from 21 to 75, representing 10 U.S. states, and sharing a diversity of stories around HBV and liver cancer, transplantation, treatment, stigma and disclosure. The #justB digital stories were released on May 1, 2017, in recognition of Hepatitis Awareness Month, on HBF’s YouTube Channel and at www.hepb.org/justb. Since the launch, there have been over 60,000 views of the 18 multi-lingual videos! We want to thank our partners for helping promote these videos, including CDC Division of Viral Hepatitis Shot By Shot in California. And We are very proud that a few of the videos were selected for screening at the American Public Health Association Annual Film Festival and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. 

Our storytellers have been very busy this year! They have conducted local hepatitis B education in their home towns, and have given interviews with print, online and radio news outlets! They have even written blogs to help spread awareness about hepatitis B! Our storytellers have also been on the move – they have made multiple visits to Washington, DC – to participate in a Congressional briefing and reception, an FDA hearing, and an in-person panel at the Hep B United Summit. 

With our local efforts in Philadelphia, the Hep B United Philadelphia program screened 100 people, distributed nearly 700 HBV handouts through 27 community events and educated approximately 650 individuals on hepatitis B. Throughout the year we hosted 123 student volunteers from local University organizations including Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) that provide BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose and vision screenings for any individual in attendance of our health fairs or screening events. Our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts have a following of 1,400 people!  

Our outreach team has been very busy this year addressing your questions and concerns about hep B. Our counselors have answered over 2,200 emails, 3,650 questions on social media, and spent over 66 hours on over 400 phone calls.   

2018 will be an even bigger year! We will be releasing our “Journey to the Cure” talk show and expanding our campus in Doylestown. We will continue to work every day to find a cure for hepatitis B and improve the quality of life for all those affected. We want to thank all of our partners, supporters and friends in the U.S. and around the world.  

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat (@hepbfoundation) for all the updates in the next year!  

Vlog: “Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children” Screening

Join Kristine Alarcon, MPH for A Day in the Life of a Public Health Coordinator to learn about some of the activities we at the Hepatitis B Foundation take part in!

This episode highlights our special film screening of “Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children.”

Check out our previous blog post for more information about the event here and our last vlog here.

Special Film Screening: “Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children”

The Hepatitis B Foundation was excited to share a special film screening of Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children.

Packed house at the film screening with opening remarks by Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH

The documentary film, produced by The Vaccine Makers Project, follows the unknown story of a man who “had more of an impact on [people’s] lives compared to Einstein.” The film tells the story of a courageous and gutsy scientist, Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman, and the elimination of diseases of children. With his unwavering determination, Dr. Hilleman invented the first-ever vaccine against a human cancer (the hepatitis B vaccine), developed the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) combination vaccine, and prevented pandemic flu. During World War II he developed an urgently needed vaccine for Japanese B encephalitis in 30 days.

 

The hepatitis B virus was also featured in the documentary.

He is responsible for more than half of the vaccines children receive today and is credited with saving more than eight million lives every year. Now through exclusive interviews with Dr. Hilleman and his peers, rare archival footage, and 3-D animation, this new documentary puts a human face to vaccine science, revealing the character that drove this bold, complex, and heroic man.

When parents began choosing not to vaccinate their children in the 1990s, a cruel irony became clear; Hilleman’s unprecedented successes have allowed us to forget just how devastating childhood diseases can be. The documentary reminds us by allowing us to see these diseases as part of the film.

Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH introducing the panelists. L-R: Timothy Block, PhD (Moderator), Donald Rayne Mitchell, David Oshinsky, PhD, Walter Tsou , MD, MPH, Paul Offit, MD

Community members from Philadelphia and Bucks County came for the film screening as they enjoyed fun movie snacks. They also enjoyed a panel discussion moderated by Timothy Block, PhD, with the documentary director and esteemed representatives from scientific community. Expert panelists included Donald Rayne Mitchell, Paul Offit, MD, David Oshinsky, PhD, and Walter Tsou, MD, MPH. They shared their thoughts on the documentary, Dr. Hilleman’s life, and the future of vaccines. Mitchell and Dr. Offit expressed that the documentary film was created to “inspire a kid or to get into [scientific] work someday,” and to “put a human face on vaccines.”

For more information about the film, click here. If you are interested in learning more about the hepatitis B vaccine, click here.

Be on the look out for a special “preview” vlog of the film screening at the end of December 2017.

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

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"

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

First World Hepatitis Summit Focuses on Global Plan for Elimination by 2030

The joint North and South Americas group build relationships across borders to eradicate hepatitis B.
The North and South Americas group builds relationships to eradicate viral hepatitis.

The mood was euphoric. It was a love fest, actually. Last week, more than 600 policy makers, public health experts, and representatives from non-governmental organizations and patient advocacy groups from 80 countries were invited to participate in the first World Hepatitis Summit in Scotland hosted by the World Hepatitis Alliance in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). The Hepatitis B Foundation was pleased to be invited and to speak during the pre-summit meeting as well.

The message was serious. Hepatitis B and C kill more people each year than HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and combined are the seventh-leading cause of death worldwide, yet viral hepatitis as a global health concern remains mostly invisible and under-funded. Continue reading "First World Hepatitis Summit Focuses on Global Plan for Elimination by 2030"

Operation Storm Philadelphia City Council : The Aftermath

Operation SCC 01

Hepatitis B Foundation Intern and Guest Blogger Limi Lo shares her personal reflection of last week’s advocacy event when hepatitis B partners and advocates stormed Philadelphia City Council 

A few months ago, I was sitting in my public policy class learning about advocacy. In simple English, it means, “to fight for a cause that you believe in.” As much as I understood what it meant, I never thought I would take part in a real advocacy event until I attended the City Council resolution presentation on May 8th, 2014. The event was held at the Philadelphia City Council during a city council session, and included supporters from Hep B United Philadelphia (lead by the Hepatitis B Foundation), HepCAP, and Philadelphia County Medical Society. Together, supporters came out and advocated for better viral hepatitis care in the greater Philadelphia area. City Councilman David Oh had introduced a resolution declaring May as Hepatitis Awareness Month and calls for all high-risk Philadelphians to receive appropriate testing and proper care for viral hepatitis.

The event not only provided me with a valuable learning experience, but more importantly, it was a life changing experience. I was able to witness community partners, students, professors, and other advocates coming together to help raise awareness and fight for a substantial cause (to improve hepatitis care). There were dozens of posters held high and being displayed: “Be proactive, get tested today”, “know more hepatitis”, and “Give hope to your family”. These messages were inspirational in addressing the need for city leaders to pay greater attention for the silent epidemic of viral hepatitis. Throughout the event, the atmosphere was filled with positive energy and a sense of hope was tangibly present—a hope that, in Philadelphia, all high-risk individuals can access screening tests, vaccines, and care for viral hepatitis.

Since beginning my practicum with the Hepatitis B Foundation, I’ve gained a variety of hands-on experience to raise community awareness, such as through screening events, providing linkage to care and now, participating in public health advocacy. I am grateful to be working with passionate and motivated individuals that want to make a difference in their community. Although, there is still much work to get done in improving the care for viral hepatitis, I can already feel the positive impact we are making as a community. The City Council event was a major stepping stone in advocating the cause at a local level and it was a huge success. I know in the near future, more and more people will become aware of the hepatitis issue and attention will be brought up to the federal and state level. But until then, let’s all be heroes and help save lives through advocacy.

 

Re-energized in Our Mission … A Message from Joan Block of HBF

Historic ruling now officially recognizes HBV infection as a protected disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

What a difference two years make. In 2011 the Hepatitis B Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary and we were ready to rest awhile on our laurels after working so hard. But instead, we rallied for new challenges and now we have a lot to celebrate in 2013! Continue reading "Re-energized in Our Mission … A Message from Joan Block of HBF"