National Hepatitis C Coalition, Inc. - Offering Hope For Hepatitis C

Our volunteers work diligently to help you understand hep C.

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A discussion with Larry King about her need for kidney transplantation after only 4 mo. of hepatitis C treatments!

The National Hepatitis C Coalition, Inc. is the original non-profit, tax-exempt hepatitis C coalition of patients and families dedicated to providing education and support through online communications, hep C hotline, and grassroots support networks across America.

We are advocates for increased awareness and recognition of the seriousness of hepatitis C, and our purpose is to help others learn how to live with it while we all fight for stepped up research to find effective treatments, cures and vaccines.

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HIV/AIDS and HEPATITIS C have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in common EXCEPT both are blood-borne diseases.

Although one person CAN develop both diseases, the two mentioned above continue to be two completely separate problems, often transmitted through infected blood!

Hep C Ribbon - Representing the ongoing fight for hepatitis C awareness Over 5 million Americans suffer from hepatitis C. Have YOU been tested? Has your child been tested for hepatitis C? EVERYONE should be.

While A True Cure May Remain Elusive, There Is STILL Hope For Controlling Hepatitis C!!!
(But first we need to know the truth about the disease!)
By Kev Krueger
Cofounder, National Hepatitis C Coalition, Inc.
Written June, 2005

Anyone who has never been tested for hepatitis C (with the exception of those born after 1992) probably should be. Forget about so-called "high risk" groups that so many of our government institutions want us to believe are the only ones at risk for hepatitis C infection. EVERYONE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AT RISK FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF HEPATITIS C. Most people may have had occasion to be exposed to the virus at some time in their lives, either through past invasive medical procedures or other methods not often discussed. Early diagnosis by simple blood test can make the difference whether the disease is merely a nuisance, or whether it becomes a full-blown life-threatening illness.

While I'm thinking about it I'm going to answer one of the most common questions we receive from patients lately: "Aren't Naomi Judd and that guy from Aerosmith cured?" The answer is that these two individuals (and many others as well) have made such claims, but there still is no test that is able to accurately measure absolute zero virus in the body (current testing measures our blood, NOT what may be hiding in internal organs). Without reliable testing to confirm that the virus is completely gone from the entire body, there's no way to know whether it's truly eradicated or just hiding somewhere where it can't be detected, possibly to resurface at a later time. We've known far too many folks over the years who were told by their doctors that they were cured, only to learn years later that the virus was once again detectable. People feel crushed when this happens because most of us would like NOT to have to admit we've ever had this doggone disease in the first place! The word "remission" is really much more accurate in these situations anyway, and the word doesn't hurt our funding. Most people don't realize it, but our Congress doesn't believe we need anywhere near adequate funding for this disease because they think we already have a cure and don't need it - thanks to well-intentioned individuals who've gone to Washington, D.C. and led our leaders to believe accordingly. The strongest scientific evidence available indicates that hepatitis C is NOT a completely curable disease and those who claim to be "cured" of hepatitis C are merely practicing what might best be described as "hopeful thinking". These folks may very well be experiencing what is sometimes known as a "clinical cure", which indicates that the disease isn't presently detectable by current testing methods but there are no guarantees the virus is completely gone or that it might not resurface at a later time.

Irregardless, If you've recently been diagnosed with hepatitis C, please know that THERE REALLY IS HOPE, no matter how progressed your disease may be, and no matter what you may have been told, but in order to know if a person has it, they MUST GET TESTED!!! read entire article . . .

REMEMBER THE
"BIG THREE"
TO HELP CONTROL HEPATITIS C:
1. Protect the Liver
2. Detoxify the Liver
3. Boost Immunity

DO YOU HAVE TATTOOS?
They may be the source of more hepatitis C infections than previously thought
(especially older ones)!!

PLEASE READ:
TATTOO TIME BOMB

then go see your doctor and insist on being tested for hepatitis C!

INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS PLEASE READ:

As much as we'd like to be able to provide information and support to individuals who are incarcerated, experience has shown that the majority of our mailings to correctional facilities never reach those who need them and are instead returned to us by the system.

We suggest instead that family members contact us and make arrangements themselves to distribute our information to their loved ones behind the walls. Thank you for understanding.

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Be sure to include the words "HEP C" in the subject line of your correspondence. Otherwise, it may be deleted unopened due to the extreme problem with spam.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site should be misconstrued as medical advice and no claims made here have been evaluated by the FDA unless otherwise indicated.

This Page Was Last Updated January 04, 2012