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Chilliwack Hep C Conference by Positive Living Fraser Valley Feb. 17, 2017 was exciting and full of good info.
Highlights for Hepcbc Hepatitis C Education-Prevention‘s attendee:
(1) Dr.JOHN FARLEY stressing to healthcare workers the importance of testing EVERYONE for hepatitis B (HBV) before starting them on DAAs (new hep C treatments). You can have HBV and not know it, and it can become activated during DAA treatment. People are unexpectedly dying of HBV because this was not on their physician’s “radar” – it should be! Another interesting fact: While people with HCV generally do not develop liver cancer until they have cirrhosis, people with HBV can develop it at any time, regardless of their degree of liver damage.
(2) Shayne Williams of Surrey’s LOOKOUT SOCIETY documented the relationship between hepatitis C and homelessness, and showed how some interventions can make a difference.
(3) Jodie Millward and Andrea Medley of FIRST NATIONS HEALTH AUTHORITY spoke about their organization’s history, and how it sees the HIV and HCV epidemics, harm reduction vs abstinence, and the healing process within communities. Photos of all three follow…