About ten years ago, I received a phone call with news that my brother had been diagnosed with
hepatitis C. Although I knew this was not good news, I had no concept of what that really meant. He seemed healthy and strong. I never knew he was sick. It was this mindset that would continue for years to come for all of us.
Fast forward 7 or so years when my brother actually began feeling sick. He underwent a series of liver function tests and biopsies and uncertainty and had to face the possibility of transplantation. Eventually the doctors decided to begin a round of treatment. After 10 months of grueling side effects, he completed treatment only to discover that the virus was still persistent. Today, like many of the other 4 million Americans infected with hepatitis C, we hope for a new treatment option and another chance at a cure.
As a part of the American Liver Foundation (ALF)
Liver Life Walk team, we have the opportunity to work toward achieving such a goal every day. As a part of this effort, I would like to use this forum to share tips, tools, resources, ideas and support with other Liver Life Walk participants.
Creating awareness of this important health issue is an important piece of this process, so I will also share information and resources as well. According to the
American Liver Foundation, currently there are vaccinations for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but none for hepatitis C. 8,000 - 10,000 people die of hepatitis C each year. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate within the next 20 years, the hepatitis C epidemic will cause more deaths annually in the U.S. than AIDS.
Additional statistics on the prevalence of liver disease from the
American Liver Foundation- The liver is a vital organ no one can survive without it, but it is a silent organ, because unlike your heart that has a beat, your liver does not move or have any sound. Many people live with liver disease for a long time without ever knowing it because they have no symptoms of pain or sickness- until the later stages. The liver is the body’s largest internal organ and does hundreds of functions every day. The liver removes harmful substances from the body, makes bile to help digest fat, and stores energy.
- There are an estimated 30 million people in the United States with liver disease…30 million is more than the entire population of people living in the 15 largest cities in the U.S. combined.
- There are currently over 100 known liver diseases and liver disease does not discriminate it affects men, women and children of every age and nationality and from every social and economic background.
- Liver disease is the ninth leading disease related cause of death in Colorado and across the entire United States with more than 42,000 people dying each year.
- Approximately 15,000 children are hospitalized every year with pediatric liver disease or disorders.
- Nationally there are nearly 17,000 people on the waiting list for liver transplants.
- Biliary Atresia occurs in 1 out of every 10,000 live births. 90% of babies born with Biliary Atresia that receive both treatments and a liver transplant within the first 60 days of life survive! Early detection is key. Liver
As noted above, liver disease does not discriminate. Infants are born every day with diseases of the liver and have to fight to survive.
Read Savannah’s story about her battle with Biliary Atresia: It is hard to imagine what obstacles a liver transplant recipient goes through. Everyone's experience is different.
Read one person's experience.
One in every ten thousand babies are affected with biliary atresia, which according to the American Liver Foundation is “a disease of the bile ducts that affects only infants. Bile is a digestive liquid that is made in the liver. It travels through the bile ducts to the small intestine, where it helps digest fats. In biliary atresia, the bile ducts become inflamed and blocked soon after birth. This causes bile to remain in the liver, where it starts to destroy liver cells rapidly and cause cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver.”
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