Hepatitis Victoria

Dominique Robert-Hendren - Hello Sunday Morning by LiverWELL

Shane O'Sullivan's Lived Experience Story by LiverWELL

#NavigatingHealth with Siân Slade by LiverWELL

Dr. Tram Tran gives us an inside look into new developments regarding the diagnosis of NASH by LiverWELL

After nearly a decade at the helm of firstly Hepatitis Victoria and then LiverWELL, Melanie Eagle has announced that she will leave the organisation. Melanie has brought decades of experience in community, advocacy and management, and under Melanie's leadership, LiverWELL has grown significantly.

Thomas Tu talks to us about his experiences as a researcher for hepatitis B, his lived experience, and his community: HepBCommunity.org

When Chloe went to her GP to have a hepatitis B test she was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. While this came as a surprise to Chloe, statistically it's not unusual. 1 in 4 people in Victoria have fatty liver disease, and this number is rising. The burden of this disease in Australia, and most developed countries, manifests in increasing levels of advanced liver disease and primary liver cancer. So why don't we know more about it?

Mandy Ritchie, Bendigo local, was diagnosed with Hepatitis C during her first pregnancy. Now, she seeks to help those at risk of contracting the virus. Podcast produced by Tyler Wright

Jen Anderson estimates she contracted hepatitis C in the late 1970s. She was later diagnosed in the early 1990s before seeking treatment in 2012, feeling optimistic about break-through antiviral medication. In this 15-minute question-and-answer, Jen Anderson speaks to RMIT student journalist Indiana Hansen about her personal experience living with hepatitis C, as well as her professional experience as a nurse in the sector. Jen unpacks how things have changed within the hepatitis C space over the years, sharing her views on care and treatment alongside hepatitis C elimination targets. She reflects on being cured of the virus saying, “the weight off my shoulders of becoming cured from hepatitis C was indescribable”.

Ilbijerri Theatre Company are near to releasing Viral, a film about hepatitis C in Aboriginal communities. Viral, written by Maryann Sam, follows the story of Ally and her family as they come to reckoning with hepatitis C and its treatment. With an all Aboriginal cast and crew, Viral is a landmark film that amplifies the voices of First Nations People. Dramaturg and consultative director Kamarra Bell-Wykes spoke with LiverWELL about her role in the film and how the workshopping and consultative process to create Viral has given platform to so many Aboriginal community members about hepatitis C. Lauren Sheree, a producer at Ilbijerri Theatre Company spoke of how the film is deeply impacting, and delivers a powerful health message due to its realness.

We talk to Adrian Farrugia from the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University. Adrian's research focuses on opioid overdose and take-home naloxone, experiences of hepatitis C treatment, and young people's drug consumption and drug education. And he is currently researching the uptake and experiences of hepatitis C treatment in Australia. This qualitative project collects the stories of people affected by hepatitis C to understand the meanings of treatment and identify impediments to uptake in an era focused on elimination.

Sarah Lorrimar is a sexuality educator living in Collingwood but with a strong love and connection to Melbourne's West. And her background is Chinese – Indonesian and Australian. Sarah is passionate about social justice, particularly around gender equity and sexual health rights and has spent the past decade specialising in health promotion. Before this, she completed a Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion) and a Postgraduate Diploma of Sexology.

LiverTalk speak with Associate Professor Christy Newman from the University of NSW Sydney, about her research into blood borne viruses and serodiscordant families. Christy is also Associate Dean (Engagement, Impact and Enterprise) at UNSW

LiverTalk speak with Doctor Amy Pennay from La Trobe University, about her research into alcohol and how people are choosing to drink less. Dr Amy Pennay is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR), La Trobe University. Dr Pennay has an Honours degree in Criminology and was awarded her PhD through the National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, in 2013. Her PhD was an examination of the social, cultural and economic contexts of alcohol and 'party drug' use in Melbourne, with a focus on risk environments and the implications for prevention.

Associate Professor Paul Gow talks Fatty Liver on 3AW's healthy living Program

How much do we really know about the impact of non-dependent alcohol use upon the brain? Listen to the discussion about why there needs to be more research into the impacts of non-dependant alcohol use upon the brain. Special guests: Fiona Martyn, Galway Neuroscience Centre PhD student, from the Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, National University of Ireland. Dr Eimer McMahon, National University of Ireland who shares insights into the health of the mind and body. For more tips on healthy habits http://www.hepvic.org.au/livingwell/drinkaware/

We talk to Steve Allsop about the changing perceptions around drug law in Australia, what this could look like and what is important to take into consideration. In our conversation we also discussed the vital importance of addressing stigma and discrimination and improving access to drug and alcohol treatment services alongside broader change.

Jennifer MacLachlan, Senior Epidemiologist at The Doherty Institute shares the reports latest findings on the the prevalence of viral hepatitis, the need to increase diagnosis, treatment & care, and how targeted engagement based on the latest regional data can help drive an increase in testing. https://ashm.org.au/resources/hcv-resources-list/viral-hepatitis-mapping-project-national-report-2018-2019/ Music: ‘Solar Power’ by Zucchini Clan. Used in agreement with the artists.

Reflecting on World Hepatitis Day 2020 and the fight that has continued to be made across the sector for elimination of viral hepatitis despite the COVID-19 restrictions. Including a special song from Mark Farmer Memorial Award winner Andree, hear from a number of people about what they have been doing this year for WHD including staff from SHARPS NSP in Frankston and Alfred Health. Special guests: Bree – SHARPS NSP Peninsula Health Cheryl – Alfred Health ‘ World Hepatitis Day song: Andree Dolby ‘Solar Power’ by Zucchini Clan. Used in agreement with the artists.

Sharon Gibson & Keith Ritchie Gippsland FM (104.7) interview Melanie Eagle about World Hepatitis Day and why people could be at risk of liver damage.

Nhân Ngày Viêm Gan 28 tháng 7 hãy tìm hiểu cách bảo vệ cơ phận quan trọng này của bạn https://www.sbs.com.au/language/vietnamese/audio/nhan-nga-y-viem-gan-28-tha-ng-7-ha-y-ti-m-hie-u-ca-ch-ba-o-ve-co-pha-n-quan-tro-ng-na-y-cu-a-ba-n

Melanie Eagle speaks with Matt Christie Plenty FM Radio 88.6 on World Hepatitis Day encouraging people to get tested for hepatitis. #EndHEP

Guest speaker: Suzanne Powell, Ballarat Community Health Presenters: Isabelle Purcell, Health Promotion Officer, Hepatitis Victoria/LiverWELL Neylan Aykut, Health Promotion Officer, Hepatitis Victoria/LiverWELL ‘Solar Power’ by Zucchini Clan. Used in agreement with the artists. Isabelle and Neylan speak with Suzanne from Ballarat Community Health about the impacts of Quarantine on Alcohol consumption on mental and phyical health, including your liver, harm minimisation and how to get help. How have you're liver health been impacted during COVID-19, we'd love to hear from you: http://www.hepvic.org.au/news/2298/liver-health-care-during-lockdown-tell-us-how-covid-19-is-affecting-you

Presenter: Isabelle Purcell, Health Promotion Officer, Hepatitis Victoria/LiverWELL Interviewees: [1:20 to 9:20] Martin Forrest, Health Promotion Programs Manager, Hepatitis Victoria/LiverWELL [9:30 - 20:00] Sally Watkinson, Viral Hepatitis Nurse Practitioner candidate, Royal Melbourne Hospital Isabelle speaks with Martin and Sally about key concerns for people with viral hepatitis and liver disease in relation to COVID-19 (mainly concerns around accessing healthcare and going to appointments etc as well as heightened risk due to living with a chronic illness) New webchat function and the benefits [1:20 to 9:20] Importance of still accessing healthcare esp around liver health [9:30 - 20:00] How this can be done via telehealth and the benefits [9:30 - 20:00]

Dr Marno Ryan is a Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist with a special interest in fatty liver disease which is fast becoming a serious health issue not only in Australia but throughout the world. She says that despite 30% of the population in Australia having the disease, not everyone will go on to develop more serious liver issues such as non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis (NASH). But for those who do develop NASH, losing between 5-10% of body weight can make a really positive difference she says. Listen to find out the best diet and drinks for liver health.

What is the LiverWELL Reveal program? Hepatitis Victoria/LiverWELL Health Promotions Programs Manager Martin Forrest explains in a short podcast interview. www.hepvic.org.au/reveal If you are living with a chronic liver disease, who do you turn to in the community for help and support? Up to 40% of Australians are living with fatty liver disease and many of these people will develop more serious conditions like non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Reveal is a new program run by LiverWELL/Hepatitis Victoria which enables community members and the Blood Borne Virus (BBV) workforce to provide input which will enable support for people living with, or at risk of liver disease and viral hepatitis. Contact Martin@hepvic.org.au or 1800 703 003

Dr Alex Hodge is a gastroenterologist and expert in chronic liver disease. He has a special interest in obesity and the many ways to combat it. 'I look at what fat can do inside the liver and what fat means for the patient outside the liver," he says. "Inside it can eventually cause fibrosis and cirrhosis, outside its a risk factor for developing diabetes." Dr Hodge also talks about the health benefits of drinking more than four cups of coffee a day, and the bad news about alcohol. "All the studies of coffee have been positive studies... and show that there’s an association between coffee consumption and improvement in various liver parameters...if you give people four or more cups of coffee a day, they have less liver cancer, less liver fibrosis. "It’s caffeinated coffee we are talking about so it could be instant coffee, expresso-based coffee or filtered." Dr Hodge also gives some broader health tips to keep your liver in top shape.

Hepatitis Victoria/LiverWELL CEO Melanie Eagle was interviewed on ABC's Nightlife national radio program on 8 January. She talks about the hepatitis C cure and why thousands of Australians are still not taking up the option.

This podcast was first published on Pursuit. Read the original article. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/podcasts/exposing-the-hepatitis-b-virus Researchers Professor Peter Revill and Dr Thomas Tu are on front line of global efforts to find a cure; helped by Dr Tu developing a new method to better detect the virus’ ‘master blueprint’.

Amanda Li Hromin works as a community advocate supporting health promotion, community engagement, education programs and community awareness campaigns for the Victorian Chinese community in relation to viral hepatitis B and C prevention and related liver cancer prevention. She was nominated by Hepatitis Victoria for the Council on the Ageing Senior Achiever Award 2019, for which she was the deserving recipient. In this short podcast, Amanda talks about why she volunteers for Hepatitis Victoria and other organisations and what is the best way to communicate important health messages to the Chinese/Australian community.

This is the audio of the section in Hepatitis Victoria’s Annual General Meeting on 15th October, where the winners of the annual awards were announced. Community Participation Coordinator, Steph Houghton read the nominations and Hepatitis Victoria president Frank Carlus announced the winners. There were three nominations for the Organisation Collaboration Award, the Chinese Cancer and Chronic Illness Society of Victoria, IIbijerri Theatre Company and Forensicare, (the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health). Forensicare, received the award for its tireless work across the health sector making progress against the unacceptably high levels of hepatitis C inside. There were three nominations for the Individual Contribution Award, Cr Lucinda Congreve, Mayor of Brimbank, Marion Lau and Sambath My, all of whom are already HEP Heroes, with Marion Lau receiving the award. There were two nominees for the prestigious Mark Farmer Memorial Award for advocacy; Aboriginal elder, actor, musician, potter and activist Uncle Jack Charles and Councillor Youhorn Chea, the former Mayor of Dandenong. Uncle Jack was this year’s winner in recognition of his advocacy for people living with hepatitis C, his passion and encouragement of people to be tested and seek treatment.

Lewis Stieven-Taylor is a La Trobe University student studying for a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in rehabilitation counselling. As part of his course, he is required to complete 80-120 hours of a work placement as an intern which he completed at Hepatitis Victoria focused on health promotion. Lewis says his internship exceeded his expectations in many ways. “For anyone with an interest in health promotion I would highly recommend they look into Hepatitis Victoria because it has been, at every step, fun engaging and extremely educational. I have come on leaps and bounds in my knowledge of health promotion and improved a lot of the related skills that come with it,” says Lewis. “On top of that, the mentor-ship here from my supervisor Ali has been phenomenal, he has been at every stage, very open and aware of the tasks he is setting me, making sure I understand what is expected and always available for me to ask questions. He has also tailored the tasks to ensure they are beneficial for my future career, and also to a help achieve the academic aims of the university.”

Sidney Vo is appealing a Federal Government decision, based on her hepatitis B status, that means she and her 12-year-old son Billy have to leave Australia by the end of the month. Her case has been widely publicised and by mid-September an online petition of support had received over 22,000 signatures. Sidney’s experience has galvanised her to speak out. She signed up to become a Hepatitis Victoria HEPSpeaker and stepped out of training to record a short Hepatitis Victoria podcast. Sidney speaks about her situation and in particular the unexpected stigma and discrimination she has experienced since going public. “Its not fair for people like us to get discriminated against,” she says. “We didn’t choose to have this disease -I call it an ailment- it’s not serious if we take care of it, and what we need is more people to take the test.” Only 7% of people living with hepatitis B in Australia are getting treated while the other 93% of people “…are hiding maybe because of the stigma and discrimination, they don’t want to tell doctors they have hepatitis B.” “I feel like a victim of old-fashioned guidelines…” Sidney says. “It's not only myself, after I went public I was contacted by people who are now overseas who say they had the same situation but left Australian with talking about it, maybe because of the stigma. “If every chose to pack up and go who would be the one to stand up for us? I am doing this not just for myself but for the hepatitis B community.”

Health Promotion Project Officer, Isabelle Purcell was interviewed on 3CR Community Radio about the positive changes in migration rules for people living with viral hepatitis who want to apply for permanent residency in Australia. She talks about what the changes mean and why they are an important change for anyone with a chronic condition.

Margaret Littlejohn is a medical scientist at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, where she does research and diagnostic work into the hepatitis B virus. Together with Associate Professor Steven Tong of the University of Melbourne and other colleagues, she recently published a fascinating paper entitled 'What hepatitis B tells us about the migration of ancient humans'. The viral genetics of Hepatitis B is helping to trace the history and movement of Australia’s first people back at least 51,000 years “We found the precursor of the modern HBV C4 -the strain of hepatitis B that is mostly found in Indigenous Australians- that virus entered Australia 51,000 years ago. During the research “…we sequenced a lot of the viruses from different communities and what we noticed was this amazing geographical clustering…and from that work we did some computer analysis of the sequences that allowed us to date when the ancestor of that first virus would have arisen…and it allowed us to put forward a model of which direction it came into Australia,” she said. “Hepatitis B has the characteristics of being an ancient human pathogen, it has a very long period of latency and then moves into chronic disease and causes problems when people are past reproductive age, so that allows the virus to be passed on even in small populations and presumably in hunter gatherer populations.” Margaret says that endorsement for the research from the Indigenous community has been critical. “(Our research) has raised the profile of hepatitis B in the communities, which is important because there are a lot of people out there who do not know they have either hepatitis B and C,” she said.

Kai Wen Cheong is a studying for his Master's in Social Work at the University of Melbourne and for the last three months he has been a Hepatitis Victoria intern. In a short interview he speaks about his experience and what he has learnt. "I feel blessed as I am literally enjoying every minute at Hepatitis Victoria... we are doing something really good for the community." Kai's internship has provided him with many varied and surprising experiences, meeting people from all over Victoria and from all walks of life. "One of my favourite quotes is from Mother Theresa, '...not all of us can do great things, but we can all do small things with great love..' The role of the intern of the intern or volunteer allows us to do something good for humanity," Kai says.

Every year the 28th July is World Hepatitis Day, when we remind ourselves that this preventable disease kills more than a million people globally every year, yet it can be managed and cured with more awareness, support and funding. Even in Victoria over 70,000 people are unaware they are living with viral hepatitis. On 25 July Hepatitis Victoria CEO Melanie Eagle spoke on ABC Radio's Overnight program to Trevor Chappell about what is viral hepatitis, why it is ignored and whywe need more awareness.

Helen Tran is a Hepatitis Victoria Project Officer working to raise awareness about hepatitis B in Victoria's Vietnamese community and encourage people to get blood tests, vaccinations and timely treatment. "Liver cancer is very prevalent among Australian-Vietnamese and hepatitis is one of the main reasons," she says. Helen has been speaking to groups such as the Vietnamese Arthritis Association, and she has been pleasantly surprised by the number of people who tell her after her session that they will get a blood test and vaccination. "Presentations to community groups need to be made fun, no more than 20-30 minutes long and there should be ample time allowed for questions from the audience," she says. In addition, the language barrier can be a big problem when speaking to communities. "If they can't understand completely it can't help them take action," she says.

The Doherty Institute’s viral hepatitis National Mapping Report 2017 was published in April, providing an Australia-wide snapshot of prevalence, treatment and progress for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and for liver cancer. We talk to the author, Jennifer MacLachlan, Epidemiologist at the Doherty Institute who says the report reveals some surprises, but first explains the decision to combine what were previously separate reports on hepatitis B and C, and to add new data related to liver cancer.

Melanie Eagle was interviewed on World Liver Day on the launch of Eating Well: A LiverWELL™ Lifestyle Guide by Chris Isley on Perth radio station 6PR. Melanie explains what's in the Guide and why it is an urgently needed resource.

On 19 April, World Liver Day, Melanie Eagle was interviewed by presenter Chris Smith from radio 2GB in Sydney about the launch of Eating Well: A LiverWELL™ Guide. Melanie explains the kind of recipes are in the book, as well as the hints and tips for good liver health. She talks about why it is so important to look after your liver especially as an estimated 6 million Australians have the beginnings of liver disease.

Will Scott has worked as both a volunteer and staff member at Hepatitis Victoria. In this short interview he reflects on what he has learnt and gained from working for a dynamic and fast-paced non-for-profit. He also talks about his own personal experience of overcoming viral hepatitis, and gives advice for those thinking of volunteering or working for the organisation.

Priscilla is a nutritionist and Kessavee head chef at the Merri Cafe, an organic restaurant using fresh, local ingredients. Priscilla and Kessavee have collaborated creating simple and delicious recipes for Eating Well: A Guide for Better Liver Health. This short podcast interview was made during the testing and sampling of several recipes at the Merri Cafe. The Eating Well Guide is free and will be available soon in digital and hard copy format. www.liverwell.org.au/eatingwell

Ross Williams is a Hepatitis Victoria Board member, HEP Hero and a HEPSpeaker. On 7 March, he spoke passionately about his lived experience of hepatitis C during the Brimbank HEPReady forum. In a short interview, Ross talks about what lived experience speakers can add to an event and why 'self-stigma' is so damaging and difficult to overcome. In the final analysis, "..it's your life, and being anxious about how people will treat you is a secondary consideration," he says.

Cr Lucinda Congreve is the Mayor of Brimbank, one of the most culturally diverse areas of Victoria. She opened the HEPReady Forum in Brimbank on Thursday 7 March. In this short podcast, Cr Congreve talks about the multiple health challenges in Brimbank and what her Council is doing in response. "We have a new health and wellbeing centre in St Albans with a whole range of wrap-around services for the community and it might be we consider treating hepatitis at the centre," she said.

Andree tells us, when her doctor had written ‘HEP C POSITIVE’ on a pathology slip, which she unknowingly carried in her bag for some time. Upon realising, Andre stated she was shocked and explains about the negative repercussions this unwanted disclosure could’ve had on her, or anyone else in a similar situation. She talks about the lack of education on these matters that is still evident in the healthcare system, and notes that complaining is an option in response.

Jules Cassidy has been an advocate for viral hepatitis, harm reduction, and mental health for decades. She lived with hepatitis C from as early as the 1980’s, and was cured just a few years ago. Jules reflects on how hepatitis C and the stigma that sometimes came with it added to the many complexities of her life.

"You could stand in a bucket of infected blood and still not catch the infection...as long as you don't have any cuts on your feet." That's one of the little anecdotes Steven Taylor uses to illustrate how viral hepatitis can only be passed from one person to another through infected blood. Steven has worked at Hepatitis Victoria as a volunteer, performer and now Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Workforce Training Officer. Steven presents the facts about viral hepatitis in a two-hour summary, to organisations in the AOD sector. He talks about his new job, what the training involves and why there is a "...real need in the AOD community for this kind of information." If you would like to contact Steven to invite him to train your organistion call 03 9385 9101 or email Steven@hepvic.org.au

Neylan Aykut is a health promotion officer at Hepatitis Victoria whose job mainly involves working in Victoria's prisons combatting viral hepatitis. Neylan talks about the challenges of working in custodial settings, and some of the surprising -and inspiring- things she has learnt. "I really enjoy working in prisons," she says. "People inside respond very well to being spoken to with respect, they speak with candour and the sessions are great." Neylan uses art as a teaching aid in some of her sessions, an approach she says brings multiple benefits.

Judith Gorst works at the Prahran Market Clinic as a Practice Nurse and Counsellor. She is in daily contact with people who have been affected by HIV and hepatitis C. In her Stigma Story, Judith unpacks the difficulties that stigma adds to an already complex situation for many of her patients who are living with a blood borne virus. Judith talks about the stress and uncertainty her patients often experience when it comes to disclosing to family, friends, employers, and others in the community. She highlights the importance of considering the positives and negatives that could come from disclosing your status to someone, and to recognise that most people don’t actually have to tell anyone - if they choose not to. This realisation is often an important first step in regaining autonomy and self-determination over a one’s condition.

Melanie Eagle spoke on JOYFM on 22 December about the recent Hepatitis A outbreak in Australia, and discusses what people can do to avoid getting hepatitis A. A free vaccine is currently available in Victoria for men who have sex with men.