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WELLAND — Carrie Honsinger isn’t afraid to admit she had Hepatitis C.
On World Hepatitis Day, July 28, Honsinger was present, sharing her story, at the Welland Market Square for the Niagara Health System Hepatitis C Care Clinic’s annual event promoting awareness of the virus that in Niagara is more prevalent than elsewhere in the province.
“To this day I still have no idea how I contracted it,” said the 46-year-old mother of two who now volunteers with the clinic. She doesn’t fit the stereotypes and stigmas often associated with the virus. She was in a long-term and monogamous relationship and she doesn’t use drugs.
The only reason she discovered she had Hepatitis C was a routine blood donation in January 2014. Four weeks later she received an envelope informing her the blood she had donated tested positive.
“It was really traumatic,” said Honsinger, who was initially told by her doctor not to worry, the result of the test could be a false positive. After another four nerve-wracking weeks however it was confirmed that she did indeed have the virus.
The news she said was devastating, she feared transmitting the virus to her two young daughters.
Read more…http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/6793716-annual-event-spreads-word-on-hep-c-myths/