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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

"A Look Back - Hepatitis B Awareness Month"

This news article was first published on AsianWeek.com.

The month of May was designated in 1990 as the "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," commemorating the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

But why is May also designated "Hepatitis B Awareness Month", and why should it matter to the Asian Pacific Islanders (APIs) of San Francisco?

THE FACTS:

San Francisco has the highest rate of liver cancer in the nation.
APIs make up 35% of the city's population.
1 in 10 APIs are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
HBV infects the liver and causes liver cancer and ultimately premature death.
HBV is a vaccine-preventable virus.
Most people don't even know they are infected.

In an effort to raise awareness about hepatitis B, numerous events and activities were organized throughout the month of May by the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign and its many community and health care partners and volunteers.



May 2 – LIVERight at Golden Gate Park

LIVERight is a 5K run/walk hosted by the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University and Answer to Cancer with the goal of raising awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer. This year, LIVERight was held on Saturday, May 2 in Lindley Meadow of Golden Gate National Park, with more than 400 runners registered.



California State Majority Whip Fiona Ma and San Francisco Supervisor Carmen Chu were both on hand to kick off the race.



May 8 – Press Conference at City Hall

A press conference was held on Friday, May 8 at San Francisco City Hall to announce a new study by the Asian Liver Center detailing the significant lack of hepatitis B knowledge among Bay Area prenatal care doctors.



More than a dozen publicly-elected officials from multiple agencies came out to express their support of the citywide campaign to eradicate hepatitis B from the API community, including Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting, Supervisors David Chiu, Sophie Maxwell, and Carmen Chu, Bart Board Member James Fang, Commissioner Norman Yee from the Board of Education, City College Board Members Milton Marks and Steve Ngo, City Administrator Ed Lee, and others.



Numerous partners and supporters from the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign representing a dynamic cross section of business, community and health care groups were in attendance, and several speakers paid special tribute to Ted Fang and to the AsianWeek Foundation for its role in making this initiative both a social movement in San Francisco and a model for the nation.

May 12 – Partnership: San Francisco Giants

In partnership with the AsianWeek Foundation and the San Francisco Giants, members of the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign were present at the games during Chinese Heritage Night (May 12), Korean Heritage Night (May 14), and Japanese Heritage Night (May 15) to educate Giants fans about the importance of getting tested and vaccinated for hepatitis B.

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa carried this important message in a public service announcement that was played during the May 12 homeplate ceremony.



Ishikawa was featured on baseball cards containing facts about hepatitis B, and information about San Francisco Hep B Free was displayed on the scoreboard and on the clubhouse televisions throughout the game.

May 16 – Free Screenings at 5th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration

Organized by the AsianWeek Foundation, the fifth annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration was held on Saturday, May 16 at the Civic Center. An estimated 100,000 attendees came out to enjoy the day's events, making it the largest Pan Asian street celebration in the nation.



Approximately 160 people took advantage of the free hepatitis B screenings presented by California Pacific Medical Center and the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign.



Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and ABC7 anchor Alan Wang spoke to the audience about the importance of getting screened for hepatitis B and seeking appropriate medical care if diagnosed with HBV. Like so many APIs with chronic hepatitis B, both Ma and Wang themselves were infected at birth.



May 16 – Personal Story: Alan Wang of ABC7

Alan Wang of ABC7 went public last year about his own personal battle with hepatitis B after learning that Assemblywoman Ma was also chronically infected. Wang's grandfather died of liver cancer, two of his uncles died of liver cancer, and his mother too has HBV. Undetected for so many generations in his family, Wang and all of his siblings were also infected at birth.

Wang talked about his participation at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration during his evening broadcast to help raise awareness of this serious disease.



May 28 – ORIENTED Happy Hour with SFHepBFree.org

In recognition of Hepatitis B Awareness Month, the San Francisco chapter of ORIENTED.COM will be hosting its May Happy Hour with the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign on Thursday, May 28 at the Lava Lounge on 527 Bryant Street.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones, while networking with international professionals interested in Asian business and partnerships. So come out and join the fun!



Other programs initiated in May by the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign included the distribution of 43,000 backpack flyers via the San Francisco Unified School District to educate the parents of school children about hepatitis B. Free screenings were conducted in multiple clinics throughout the city, and 30,000 custom-printed grocery bags with information about HBV were donated for distribution to local businesses by the CEO of Hayward-based Tri Star Plastic whose father was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and underwent a successful live transplant.

To learn how you too can get involved, visit the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign website at http://sfhepbfree.org for more information.

About the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign

The San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign is a 'first-in-the-nation' effort calling on the collaboration of a wide spectrum of organizations to educate the public about the health risks of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and to promote routine HBV screenings and vaccinations for the city’s Asian and Pacific Islander (API) population. The Campaign is driven by the AsianWeek Foundation, San Francisco Department of Public Health and Asian Liver Center at Stanford University along with more than 150 community and health care groups, including the San Francisco Mayor’s Office. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma serves as Honorary Chairperson.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Press Release: "Asian Heritage Street Celebration Draws 100,000 Attendees"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Angela Pang

AsianWeek Foundation
apang@asianweek.com
w: 415.321.5894

c: 650.703.9364


Asian Heritage Street Celebration Draws 100,000 Attendees
-Festival highlights pan Asian culture and heritage-

SAN FRANCISCO (May 19, 2009) - Approximately 100,000 people of all ages and races overflowed Larkin Street from McAllister to Ellis Streets to enjoy the sunshine and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in San Francisco on May 16.

Faces of AsiaThe fifth annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration - the largest gathering of Asian Pacific Americans in the nation - featured a muay Thai kickboxing ring, delicious pan Asian cuisine, J-cars, tons of arts and crafts booths, Asian American musical artists, martial arts, a cultural procession, carnival rides and games, and more.

Presented by California Pacific Medical Center and Subaru, the 5th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration took place in San Francisco's Civic Center in front of the Asian Art Museum, leading up to the Little Saigon District.

The city's three Asian American Supervisors Carmen Chu, Eric Mar, and President of the Board of Supervisors David Chiu, kicked off the street fair with warm wishes and greetings for fairgoers at the Asian Art Museum stage. Chiu told the crowd it was fitting that the nation's largest Asian street celebration took place in the city because San Francisco is "the heart of our country's Asian American community."

Proud San Francisco Unified School District Awards parents surrounded the Little Saigon Stage, in the early afternoon with camcorders and digital cameras to snap footage of their children during the fair's annual SFUSD Student Awards Ceremony. For excellence in nutrition and fitness, forty-nine students received glass plaques designed by Dave San Pedro and created by Art Crystal, Ltd. The ceremony was part of the annual SFUSD Student Awards Program that the AHSC has hosted annually to recognize the accomplishments of students who are of Asian Pacific Islander heritage in categories not typically celebrated.

Approximately 160 people took advantage of the free hepatitis B screenings presented by California Pacific Medical Center and the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign.

Alan Wang and Fiona MaAssemblywoman Fiona Ma and ABC7 anchor Alan Wang spoke at the Asian Art Museum Stage about the importance of getting screened for hepatitis B. Asian Pacific Islanders have the highest rate of the disease compared to any ethnic group, and it is estimated that 1 in 10 people in the API community have an undiagnosed infection. Both Ma and Wang have chronic hepatitis B and were infected at birth. Wang wore a jade ribbon during his 5pm, 6pm and 11pm newscast that evening, showing his support of hepatitis B awareness and is one of the first Asian American newscasters nationwide to do so.

In the late afternoon, the Asian Art Museum stage became a dance floor, as a crowd formed in front of the stage, bobbing their heads, swaying their hips and arms while jamming to the electric performance by Bay Area rapper Lyrics Born and wife Joyo Velarde.

"The crowd and event was fantastic!" exclaimed Lyrics Born, after his performance. "There aren't many Asians in the arts so it is important for others to see arts like myself out there performing to change that."

The AHSC, organized by the AsianWeek Foundation, is the only outdoor event in the Bay Area to rotate its location each year in order to showcase that APIs reside in all San Francisco neighborhoods. The first Celebration highlighted the Japanese community in Japantown, the second showcased the Chinese on Irving Street in the Sunset District, the third paid homage to the large Filipino community in the South of Market area, last year the fair returned to Japantown and this year the fair celebrated the large Vietnamese community in the city's Little Saigon neighborhood.

"I am very excited and proud that the Vietnamese community that the AsianWeek Foundation chose to host their event in Little Saigon This year. Everyone knows that there is a Chinatown and Japantown, but not many know about Little Saigon for the Vietnamese community," said Hang Le To, Program Director/The Founder of Au Co Cultural & Leadership Youth Team for the Au Co Vietnamese Cultural Center.

This year's sponsors include California Pacific Medical Center, Subaru, Brown and Toland Physicians, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, Visa, AT&T, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Golden Gate Disposal, San Francisco Chronicle, CBS 5/CW Bay Area, AsianWeek, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, BART, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

###

About the Asian Heritage Street Celebration
The Asian Heritage Street Celebration is organized by the AsianWeek Foundation in cooperation with over 150 organizations in the local and Asian American community. It is the largest outdoor gathering of Asians in America and features arts and craf
ts vendors, two stages for live performances, carnival rides, import car shows, a kickboxing ring, Asian food vendors and more. This year's sponsors include California Pacific Medical Center, Subaru, Brown and Toland Medical Group, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, Visa, AT&T, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Golden Gate Disposal, San Francisco Chronicle, CBS 5/CW Bay Area, AsianWeek, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, BART, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. The AsianWeek Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 committed to developing Asian American community. All proceeds from the Celebration are donated to local and national charities.
AsianFairSF.com

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Press Release: "5TH ANNUAL ASIAN HERITAGE STREET CELEBRATION"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Angela Pang

AsianWeek Foundation
apang@asianweek.com
650.703.9364


***MEDIA ALERT***

5TH ANNUAL ASIAN HERITAGE STREET CELEBRATION
-Largest APA Heritage Month Celebration Nationwide this Saturday May 16-

Featuring J-Cars, Kickboxing Ring, Entertainment by Lyrics Born, Curt Yagi, Planet Infinity's Taekwondo Team & Charlie Chin& more

WHO: Critically acclaimed hip-hop artist Lyrics Born, singer/songwriter Curt Yagi, Planet Infinity's Taekwondo Team, classically-trained storyteller Charlie Chin, and San Francisco's World Team USA Muay Thai Kickboxing Team.

WHAT: The 5th Annual Asian American Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC) presented by California Pacific Medical Center and Subaru.

Performances and Exhibitions by:
· Lyrics Born, critically acclaimed hip-hop artist
· Curt Yagi, 2008's Best of the Bay Singer Songwriter
· Charlie Chin, musician, author, historian, and classically-trained storyteller
· Planet Infinity's Taekwondo Demo Team
· J-Cars
· San Francisco's World Team USA Muay Thai Kickboxing Team
· SFUSD Students Awards Program


Featuring free Hepatitis B screenings, free Asian Art Museum Tickets, an AHSC Best Dance Crew Contest and more.

WHERE: Civic Center (in front of Asian Art Museum, on Larkin and McAllister Streets) leading up to Little Saigon District, San Francisco, CA

WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2009
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

WHY: To promote and foster Asian Pacific American identity by bringing together community and encouraging the sharing of differences and appreciation of diversity. To pay homage to the San Francisco Vietnamese community.

ASIAN HERITAGE STREET CELEBRATION PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

ALL DAY EVENTS

Muay Thai Kickboxing
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Turk and Larkin Streets

JCars
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Polk and Golden Gate Streets

Hepatitis B Screenings
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
McAllister at Larkin Street
Photo Op:
ABC 7 Reporter Alan Wang
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

LITTLE SAIGON STAGE at Ellis and Larkin Streets

(Times Subject to Change)

11:00:00 AM Miss National Asia Pageant
11:05:00 AM Citizen School Tinikling Performance
11:15:00 AM Pushin' The Bay - Emcee T, Mac Mall and Ray Luv
11:25:00 AM Mark Munoz UFC Fighter Filipino Wrecking Machine
11:30:00 AM Planet Infinity's More Than Medals Taekwando Team
11:50:00 AM UBI
12:00:00 PM Indonesian Consulate Dance Performance
12:10:00 PM Charlie Chin
12:45:00 PM Argonne Elementary School Dance Performance
1:00:00 PM School Award Presentation
1:30:00 PM Faces of Asia Procession Presentation
1:40:00 PM Nguyen Dance Company
2:00:00 PM Downe-FX
2:10:00 PM LIKHA - Pilipino Folk Ensemble
2:20:00 PM Go Bigg
2:30:00 PM AHSC's Best Dance Crew - Contest hosted by WILD949
3:30:00 PM Animemyu plus CosPlay
4:00:00 PM US Wing Chun
4:30:00 PM Karaoke Contest
5:30:00 PM Kickboxing Demomonstration

Asian Art Museun Stage at Fulton and Larkin Streets
(Times Subject to Change)

11:00:00 AM San Francisco Supervisors
11:05:00 AM Chung Ngai Dance Troupe
11:20:00 AM Amber Field
11:30:00 AM Rendezvous
12:00:00 PM Kaz-well
12:15:00 PM KAPAKAHI
12:45:00 PM Mango Kingz
1:15:00 PM Miles Outside
1:45:00 PM Curt Yago
2:00:00 PM REN THE VINYL ARCHAEOLOGIST
2:15:00 PM Native Elements
2:45:00 PM Lyrics Born with Joyo Velarde
3:30:00 PM Thomas' Aparttment
4:00:00 PM The Campaign
4:20:00 PM Enoch
4:30:00 PM Drunken Hu?
5:00:00 PM Random Ninjas
+ Resident DJs Tone Def & Jay Plus, Greetings from Elected Officials, Raffle Prizes and More!


To RSVP for this event, please reply to Angela Pang at apang@asianweek.com or (650)703-9364



###

About the Asian Heritage Street Celebration
The Asian Heritage Street Celebration is organized by the AsianWeek Foundation in cooperation with over 150 organizations in the local and Asian American community. It is the largest outdoor gathering of Asians in America and features arts and crafts vendors, two stages for live performances, carnival rides, import car show, kickboxing ring, Asian food vendors and more. This year's sponsors include California Pacific Medical Center, Subaru, Brown and Toland Medical Group, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, Visa, AT&T, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Golden Gate Disposal, San Francisco Chronicle, CBS 5/CW Bay Area, AsianWeek, Northern California Carpenters Union, BART, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
The AsianWeek Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 committed to developing Asian American community. All proceeds from the Celebration are donated to local and national charities.
www.asianfairsf.com

Alan Wang @ 5th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration


Press Release: "Largest Asian Pacific Heritage Festival Celebrates in San Francisco's Little Saigon"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Angela Pang

AsianWeek Foundation
apang@asianweek.com
415.321.5894


LARGEST ASIAN PACIFIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES IN SAN FRANCISCO'S LITTLE SAIGON

5th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration
Saturday, May 16
11am-6pm

SAN FRANCISCO (May 11, 2009) - The largest gathering of Asian Pacific Americans in the nation is back and bigger than ever. The 5th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009, in San Francisco's Civic Center in front of the Asian Art Museum, leading up to the Little Saigon District. Presented by California Pacific Medical Center and Subaru, the fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The festival will include Asian American artists, DJs, martial arts, j-cars, a Muay Thai kickboxing ring, Asian street food, a karaoke contest, arts and crafts, anime, free hepatitis B screenings and more! New features this year include an Asian Heritage Street Celebration Best Dance Crew Contest and carnival rides and games for children.

A celebration of all Asian and Pacific Islander cultures, the goal of the Street Celebration is to promote and foster Asian Pacific American identity by bringing together community and encouraging the sharing of differences and appreciation of diversity. In five years, the AHSC has quickly become the country's largest assemblage of APAs, drawing over 80,000 people annually.

The AHSC is the only outdoor event in the Bay Area to rotate its location each year, in order to showcase that APIs reside in all San Francisco neighborhoods. This year, the fair celebrates the Vietnamese American community in Little Saigon.

"We are very excited to see the Asian Heritage Street Celebration to come to the Little Saigon Cultural & Commercial District," says Philip Nguyen of the Southeast Asian Community Center. "We welcome this fair heartily, which will help promote not only Little Saigon, but also the whole Southeast Asian community of the Tenderloin, and of the city of San Francisco."

Lan Le,of the Vietnamese Community Center of San Francisco, says he hopes the fair will raise awareness of the Vietnamese community and help kick-start the area's many Vietnamese businesses. Le said he hopes the neighborhood will transform into a tourist attraction like Chinatown and Japantown, that visitors "must see" in The City.

San Francisco is home to the second Little Saigon in the United States, a name officially given only four years ago to the two blocks of Larkin Street between Eddy and O'Farrell. Approximately 2,000 of the city's 13,000 Vietnamese Americans live in the Little Saigon/Tenderloin, with many arriving as refugees after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Vietnamese Americans have since made a home, creating schools, service centers and at least 250 businesses in the area.

To pay homage to the Vietnamese community, the San Francisco Little Saigon Gate - two eight-ton granite and marble pillars, a symbol of peace, happiness and safety for the Vietnamese that have settled here, were erected last July. They now stand at the intersection of Larkin and Eddy streets.

"It is a testament to the vision and dedication of the Vietnamese community in San Francisco that our Little Saigon is the setting of this year's Asian Heritage Street Celebration, " said city college board member Steve Ngo, the city's first Vietnamese American elected official. "What a wonderful occasion!"

The AHSC returns all proceeds to various Asian communities, including newer and underserved communities like the Cambodians and Samoans, as well as more established populations. The AHSC has donated more than $50,000 to over 40 Bay Area community groups and charities, who are selected for their role in assembling diverse elements within the Asian Pacific American community. Fundraising for San Francisco public schools is another mission of the Celebration, which has created a raffle program with the goal of teaching children about community philanthropy at an early age. The AHSC provides prizes and administrative support for students and school groups to sell raffle tickets, and all proceeds are returned to participating schools.

###

About the Asian Heritage Street Celebration
The Asian Heritage Street Celebration is organized by the AsianWeek Foundation in cooperation with over 150 organizations in the local and Asian American community. It is the largest outdoor gathering of Asians in America and features arts and crafts vendors, two stages for live performances, carnival rides, import car show, kickboxing ring, Asian food vendors and more. This year's sponsors include California Pacific Medical Center, Subaru, Brown and Toland Medical Group, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, Visa, AT&T, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Golden Gate Disposal, San Francisco Chronicle, CBS 5/CW Bay Area, AsianWeek, Northern California Carpenters Union, BART, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
The AsianWeek Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 committed to developing Asian American community. All proceeds from the Celebration are donated to local and national charities.
www.asianfairsf.com


Thursday, May 14, 2009

AsianWeek: "Welcome to Little Saigon and the 5th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration"

Written by Angela Pang


The largest gathering of Asian Pacific Americans in the nation is back and bigger than ever, featuring Asian American artists, DJs, martial arts, j-cars, a Muay Thai kickboxing ring, diverse food, a karaoke contest, arts and crafts, anime, free hepatitis B screenings and more! New features this year include an Asian Heritage Street Celebration Best Dance Crew Contest and carnival rides and games for children.


The 5th annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009, in San Francisco’s Civic Center in front of the Asian Art Museum, leading up to the Little Saigon District. Presented by California Pacific Medical Center and Subaru, the fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.


A celebration of all Asian and Pacific Islander cultures, the goal of the Street Celebration is to promote and foster Asian Pacific American identity by bringing together community and encouraging the sharing of differences and appreciation of diversity. In five years, the AHSC has quickly become the country’s largest assemblage of APAs, drawing over 80,000 people annually.


The AHSC returns all proceeds to various Asian communities, including newer and underserved communities like the Cambodians and Samoans, as well as more established populations. The AHSC has donated more than $50,000 to over 40 Bay Area community groups and charities, who are selected for their role in assembling diverse elements within the Asian Pacific American community. Fundraising for San Francisco public schools is another mission of the Celebration, which has created a raffle program with the goal of teaching children about community philanthropy at an early age. The AHSC provides prizes and administrative support for students and school groups to sell raffle tickets, and all proceeds are returned to participating schools.


The AHSC is the only outdoor event in the Bay Area to rotate its location each year, in order to showcase that APIs reside in all San Francisco neighborhoods. The first celebration highlighted the Japanese community in Japantown, the second showcased the Chinese on Irving Street in the Sunset District, the third year paid homage to the large Filipino community in the South of Market area, and last year returned to Japantown. This year, the fair celebrates the Vietnamese American community in Little Saigon.


“We are very excited to see the Asian Heritage Street Celebration to come to the Little Saigon Cultural & Commercial District, ” says Philip Nguyen of the Southeast Asian Community Center. ” We welcome this fair heartily, which will help promote not only Little Saigon, but also the whole Southeast Asian community of the Tenderloin, and of the city of San Francisco.”


Lan Le. of the Vietnamese Community Center of San Francisco, says he hopes the fair will raise awareness of the Vietnamese community and help kick-start the area’s many Vietnamese businesses. Le said he hopes the neighborhood will transform into a tourist attraction like Chinatown and Japantown, that visitors “must see” in The City.


San Francisco is home to the second Little Saigon in the United States, a name officially given only four years ago to the two blocks of Larkin Street between Eddy and O’Farrell. Approximately 2,000 of the city’s 13,000 Vietnamese Americans live in the Little Saigon/Tenderloin, with many arriving as refugees after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Vietnamese Americans have since made a home, creating schools, service centers and at least 250 businesses in the area.


To pay homage to the Vietnamese community, the San Francisco Little Saigon Gate- two eight-ton granite and marble pillars, a symbol of peace, happiness and safety for the Vietnamese that have settled here, were erected last July. They now stand at the intersection of Larkin and Eddy streets.


“It is a testament to the vision and dedication of the Vietnamese community in San Francisco that our Little Saigon is the setting of this year’s Asian Heritage Street Celebration, ” said city college board member Steve Ngo, the city’s first Vietnamese American elected official. ” What a wonderful occasion!”


Original article at www.asianweek.com

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa carried this important message in a public service announcement that was played during the May 12 homeplate ceremony.

Article: "SF Hep B Free Campaign Continues Partnership with San Francisco Giants"

May 2008

The SF Giants have been a cornerstone in the history of San Francisco for many years and will be celebrating Asian cultures and communities during Asian Heritage Week at AT&T Park.

In partnership with AsianWeek and the SF Hep B Free Campaign, the Giants will hold a number of unique events to highlight the rich traditions and cultures of Bay Area Asian populations. The Chinese, Korean, and Japanese communities will each have their own designated night at AT&T Park featuring promotional items, special ticket offers, entertainment and educational programs.

The San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign will be present at each game to educate fans about the importance of testing and vaccinating Asian Pacific Islanders for hepatitis B. Liver cancer presents the greatest health disparity between Asian Americans and the general population. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa will carry this important message in a public service announcement that will be played at the ballpark and highlighted during homeplate ceremony. Travis Ishikawa will be featured on resource cards containing facts about hepatitis B on the back, and information about SF Hep B Free will be displayed on the scoreboard and on the clubhouse televisions throughout the game.

A special $20 ticket package is available for each of the heritage games and includes a limited edition giveaway and guaranteed seats in the designated heritage seating sections. Tickets for all events can be purchased by calling (415) 972-2298 or visit the links listed below. Partial proceeds of the tickets sold through this website will go to the SF Hep B Free Campaign.

Following is the list of games and giveaways (with special ticket purchase):

Tuesday, May 12 - Chinese Heritage Night
http://sfgiants.com/chinese
SF Giants vs. Washington Nationals
Fans with a special ticket will receive a Lou Seal themed Lion Dancing bobblehead.

Thursday, May 14 - Korean Heritage Night
http://sfgiants.com/korean
SF Giants vs. New York Mets
Fans with a special ticket will receive souvenir Thundersticks.

Friday, May 15 - Japanese Heritage Night
http://sfgiants.com/japanese
SF Giants vs. New York Mets
Fans with a special ticket will receive a limited edition Giants themed Sake Set and a Sake Tasting Punch-Card for five free tastings.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

CBS5.com HealthWatch: "Stanford Study Shows Doctors Short On Hep. B Info"

May 10, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / KCBS) ―

Even though more than two million people in the United States have chronic Hepatitis B, a new study finds that not just patients, but a large number of doctors lack adequate knowledge about the disease.

Hepatitis B is known to cause up to 80 percent of liver cancers, but only occurs in the non-Asian population at rate of one person per every 1,000.

In the Asian population, the disease has been found to occur at a rate of 1 person for every 10.

The study, by Stanford University's Asian Liver Center, found that doctors in the Bay Area were vague when it came to naming facts on Hepatitis B and were often not able to communicate and educate patients who didn't speak English.

Doctor Stephanie Choa, program officer at the center, says many cases start in childhood or birth.

"An infant born to a mom with chronic Hepatitis B has a 90 percent chance of developing the disease for the rest of their lives as well," she said.

Choa said their study, which also included OB/GYNS, found that most physicians showed a fundamental lack of knowledge about the disease.

"Overall the physician knowledge is pretty poor," she said.

Hepatitis B is easily cured in infants with a short series of shots, so Choa says it's doctors, as well as patients, who are now the primary targets for a public awareness campaign.

Ted Fang, director for the Hep B Free Campaign in San Francisco, tells residents that help is ready and available if they need it.

"We have a vaccine that works and we have treatments available even if you're already infected," said Feng.

Free screenings are provided by the campaign, but Fang says the goal is to get people at risk to have routine screenings by doctors, which he says would go a long way in winning the battle against Hep B.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Press Conference

Press Release: "SF Unified School District Joins Citywide Campaign to Stop Hepatitis B"

May 8, 2009

MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Christine Hsu, (415) 321-5868
media@sfhepbfree.org

San Francisco Hep B Free today announced that 43,000 full-color flyers bearing the citywide campaign’s hepatitis B prevention message are being distributed this month to students in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). The flyers are being distributed to all San Francisco public schools whose student population is 35% or more Asian and Pacific Islander American. May has been declared Hepatitis B Awareness Month for San Francisco and the State of California.

One side of the flyer contains important facts about hepatitis B in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Spanish. The other side encourages San Franciscans to see their primary care physicians for testing, and also includes a list of facilities offering no-cost screenings, including the upcoming Asian Heritage Street Celebration (Saturday, May 16 at McAllister & Larkin Streets).

The flyers are being given to students, who are already required by state and federal guidelines to be immunized for hepatitis B, to take home to their parents. The message reads, “Your children are already protected, but are you?”

The flyer also carries the "B a Hero" logo of the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign, which encourages all San Franciscans to be a hero by simply getting tested for the hepatitis B virus and encouraging their friends and families to get tested as well.

ABOUT HEPATITIS B
Hepatitis B has been called a “silent killer,” as persons infected with the hepatitis B virus often exhibit no symptoms until the disease has already caused damage to the liver. Everyone should be tested for hepatitis B. Those who are not already chronically infected should be vaccinated.

ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO HEP B FREE CAMPAIGN
San Francisco Hep B Free is a collaborative effort undertaken by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, AsianWeek Foundation and the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University to increase public awareness of the disease, promote screening and vaccination, and help link already-infected individuals to care.

ONE DAY MASS SCREENING AT 5TH ANNUAL ASIAN HERITAGE STREET CELEBRATION ON MAY 16, 2009
For the fourth year in a row, free hepatitis B screenings will be offered to the public at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration, which takes place on Saturday, May 16 in San Francisco’s Civic Center and Little Saigon neighborhoods.

For information on the SF Hep B Free campaign, visit www.sfhepbfree.org

Press Release: "30,000 Biodegradable Grocery Bags Bring Home the Message to End Hepatitis B"

May 8, 2009

MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Christine Hsu, (415) 321-5868
media@sfhepbfree.org

The San Francisco Hep B Free campaign today announced the printing and distribution of 30,000 bright-yellow biodegradable grocery bags imprinted on both sides with hepatitis B prevention messages.

One side of the bag will carry the "B a Hero" logo of the SF Hep B Free campaign, which encourages all San Franciscans to be a hero by simply getting tested for the hepatitis B virus and encouraging their friends and families to get tested as well. The other side of the bag displays the hepatitis B message in four languages: English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean.

The bags are being distributed in predominantly Asian neighborhoods to local stores and merchants, including supermarkets and pharmacies. Distribution began on May 6, and they will also be available at select Walgreens and Rite Aid locations.

The SF Hep B Free bags were donated by Hayward-based Tri Star Plastic, Inc. Tri Star CEO Andrew Chen's father was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B several years ago and underwent a successful liver transplant. Now, Chen says he wishes to do whatever he can to let people know about hepatitis B, which, left unmonitored and untreated, can cause cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer and liver failure. Hepatitis B is responsible for one-in-four liver cancer cases among Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.

"Hepatitis B is a serious disease," says Chen. "I'd like to see more dialogue about this disease and more action, so that more lives can be saved."

ABOUT HEPATITIS B
Hepatitis B has been called a “silent killer,” as persons infected with the hepatitis B virus often exhibit no symptoms until the disease has already caused damage to the liver.
Everyone should be tested for hepatitis B. Those who are not already chronically infected should be vaccinated.

ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO HEP B FREE CAMPAIGN
San Francisco Hep B Free is a collaborative effort undertaken by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, AsianWeek Foundation and the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University to increase public awareness of the disease, promote screening and vaccination, and help link already-infected individuals to care.

ONE DAY MASS SCREENING AT 5TH ANNUAL ASIAN HERITAGE STREET CELEBRATION ON MAY 16, 2009
For the fourth year in a row, free hepatitis B screenings will be offered to the public at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration, which takes place on Saturday, May 16 in San Francisco’s Civic Center and Little Saigon neighborhoods.

For information on the SF Hep B Free campaign, visit www.sfhepbfree.org

Media Advisory: Press Conference "Mother’s Day Call to Action: Get Tested for ‘Silent Killer "

May 8, 2009

Contact:Amanda Felson
415-277-4926 (o), 650-269-3686 (c)


Mother’s Day Call to Action: Get Tested for ‘Silent Killer’
New Study Shows Lack of Hepatitis B Awareness among Bay Area OBs

WHAT:
Details of a new Asian Liver Center study demonstrating a significant lack of hepatitis B knowledge among Bay Area prenatal care doctors will be revealed.

Representatives from San Francisco Hep B Free (www.sfhepbfree.org) will announce free screening events coinciding with Mother’s Day as part of Hepatitis B Awareness Month and provide information about the hepatitis B vaccine.

The Bay Area has the highest proportion of expectant mothers with hepatitis B, yet women who are infected with the virus can protect their children from this silent killer through vaccination. Hepatitis B leads to cirrhosis and failure of the liver, as well as liver cancer. San Francisco has the highest rates of liver cancer in the nation.

WHEN:
Friday, May 8, 2009, 10:00 am

WHO:
Stephanie Chao, Program Officer, Asian Liver Center; General Surgery Resident, Stanford Hospital Clinics
Rachel Shu, Ob/Gyn, Chinese Hospital & CPMC
Sandy Shih Andrada, mother and chronically infected with hepatitis B

Elected officials and community leaders:
Phil Ting, San Francisco Assessor-Recorder
David Chiu, President, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 3
Carmen Chu, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 4
Michela Alioto-Pier, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 2
Sophie Maxwell, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 10
James Fang, BART Board of Directors
Norman Yee, Commissioner, San Francisco Board of Education
Steve Ngo, Trustee, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco
Milton Marks III, Member, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco
Catherine Dodd, Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Gavin Newsom
Dr. Edward Chow, San Francisco Health Commissioner
Ted Fang, AsianWeek Foundation, San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign member
Ed Lee, San Francisco Chief Administrative Officer

WHERE:
Steps of City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA

VISUALS:
Interviews with San Francisco Hep B Free spokespersons, physicians, Hep B chronically infected mothers, elected officials, community and healthcare leaders

###

ABOUT HBV: Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) are disproportionately impacted by Hepatitis B. It is a disease of the liver caused by HBV, a virus often called a “silent killer” because it can cause liver cancer, cirrhosis or liver failure without producing symptoms. San Francisco has the highest liver cancer rate in the nation and 80% of liver cancer in APIs is caused by HBV. But it’s preventable with a simple vaccine.

ABOUT San Francisco Hep B Free: San Francisco Hep B Free is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between city government, private healthcare and community organizations. The program’s goal is to make San Francisco a hepatitis B-free city by (1) creating public and healthcare provider awareness about the importance of testing & vaccinating APIS for hepatitis B; (2) promoting routine HBV screenings and vaccinations within the primary care medical community; and (3) facilitating access to treatment for chronically infected individuals.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Feature Story: "Veteran Fighter Takes on Hepatitis B"

In February 2007, medical specialists told Bok Pon, commander of the American Legion Cathay Post #384, that he wouldn’t be alive today. With an estimated six months to live because of hepatitis B-induced liver cancer, Pon was determined to live life fully.

As a veteran of the Army’s highly decorated 82nd Airborne during the Vietnam War, beating the odds of survival is nothing new for Pon. At 65 years young, he attributes his longevity to a positive attitude, exercise and solid health insurance.

“When I first found out that I had hepatitis B, I was shocked,” Pon said. “It was a very emotional and upsetting experience for me and my family.”

After becoming familiar with the disparate statistics of hepatitis B, he turned his unfortunate experience into a positive awareness opportunity for the Asian American community. In addition to galvanizing efforts to establish a Chinese American veterans museum, as well as working on the issues of affordable housing and youth education at Cathay Post, Pon is also supporting the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign.

He emphasizes that hepatitis B does not only affect health but also finances. “Because of the high cost of medicine,” Pon explains, “hepatitis B can completely destroy the financial structure of a family.”

Since being diagnosed with hepatitis B, Pon has undergone approximately $500,000 worth of medical treatments. “It’s hard for many members in our community, when they have to choose between their children’s education and their parent’s survival. It’s tough.”

Pon underwent chemotherapy earlier this year and said that it wasn’t effective. He then tried painful radiation therapy, where doctors used high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells in the affected areas. Pon compared this intense treatment to microwaving the inside of his body but added jokingly, “I told my doctors medium-well and not well-done.”

Pon is currently discussing with doctors the possibility of a liver transplant, but the odds are against him. “Liver transplants are very competitive,” Pon said. Approximately 98,137 people are on the waiting list, and there are only 10,850 available donors, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. “If I meet the criteria and receive the government’s approval, I’ll hopefully be eligible.”

If you wish to contact Commander Bok Pon or support his efforts with donations, contact: American Legion Cathay Post #384, 1524 Carl St., San Francisco, CA 94133 or (415) 386-3544.


This article will be featured in Sing Tao Daily, World Journal and AsianWeek.com during the month of May as part of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Feature Story: "Promoting Prevention Through Education"

State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma admits that she knew practically nothing about hepatitis B before becoming involved in the SF Hep B Free campaign. Like many persons infected with hepatitis B, Ma never exhibited any symptoms of the disease. She was shocked when, after submitting to a routine blood test administered as part of a job application process, she learned that she is chronically infected with hepatitis B.

Ma contracted the disease from her mother via perinatal exposure, a very common means of transmission for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Ma’s brother later tested positive for hepatitis B as well. But their younger sister, who was born after the hepatitis B vaccine became available, is safely immune. All in Ma’s family remain healthy. And, with regular monitoring to detect signs of potential liver damage, they expect to remain so.

“I’m perfectly fine today,” she says. “But it’s one of those things that you and your doctor have to monitor very closely because this disease rarely shows symptoms until it’s too late for treatment.”

After becoming aware of the impact of hepatitis B on the Asian and Pacific Islander American community [an estimated 1 in 10 APIs is infected with chronic hepatitis B, compared to 1 in 1000 in the general population] and learning of the challenges that lack of awareness, cultural differences and language barriers present to efforts to screen, vaccinate and treat APIs for the disease, Ma set out to increase public awareness within her community.

In 2006, shortly before vacating her seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Ma wrote a resolution calling for the screening and vaccination of all API residents in San Francisco. The resolution was passed and signed into law by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in November 2006, laying the groundwork for the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign.

As a State Assemblywoman, Ma has since written a similar bill calling for the creation of state-funded hepatitis B prevention and management pilot programs in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

“This disease is treatable and preventable,” Ma explains. “But many people are unaware that they may be infected with hepatitis B, like I was. Through raising awareness and directing resources, we can end the disproportionate impact that the disease has on Asian Americans.”


This article will be featured in Sing Tao Daily, World Journal and AsianWeek.com during the month of May as part of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Feature Story: "Vietnamese American family diagnosed with Hep B"

Kate Wong never understood the extent of hepatitis B until three years ago, when her father was diagnosed with liver cancer caused by the chronic hepatitis B virus.

“It was hard to believe because he was so healthy,” said Wong. “But like the vast majority of people inflicted with this disease, it often goes undetected.”

Her father passed away earlier this year. Shortly after, Wong found medical records dating back to 1981, when the family first arrived to the U.S. from Vietnam, diagnosing her father and 5 out of 6 of his children with hepatitis B.

“We weren’t told it was infectious; we weren’t told to get our regular monitoring; we weren’t told it could eventually kill us,” recalls Wong. “My parents tucked the information away like an expired bus ticket. I was 6 at the time and had no idea.”

Twenty years later, two of Wong’s sisters developed an acute case of hepatitis B. They received treatment for extreme fatigue and jaundice and recovered. It was then that Wong was tested again, but she did not receive any information on what it meant to have the disease.

Wong hopes to educate others, so that they will not undergo the same fate. She recently became involved in the SF Hep B Free Campaign through the SF Department of Public Health, volunteering with The City’s Perinatal Hep B program, working with expectant mothers who are Hep B positive.

Wong now encourages everyone to take charge of his or her health.

“Learn as much as you can on this deadly disease,” she said. “And continue to fight until there is a cure.”


This article will be featured in Sing Tao Daily, World Journal and AsianWeek.com during the month of May as part of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Friday, May 1, 2009

AsianWeek: "Do you LIVERight?"

May 1, 2009

5K Run/Walk to Raise Awareness of Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer

1 in 10 Asian Americans is chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus that causes 80% of all liver cancer deaths - and 2 out of 3 don’t even know that they are infected.

San Francisco - April 27, 2009 - San Francisco’s Golden Gate National Park is once again playing host to one of the world’s only large-scale Asian American specific awareness events - LIVERight 2009. Taking place May 2nd in Lindley Meadow of Golden Gate National Park, LIVERight 2009 is a unique 5k run/walk event with a goal of raising awareness and education about the greatest health disparity between Asian Americans and the general population - hepatitis B. Responsible for up to a million annual deaths worldwide, hepatitis B, a vaccine-preventable virus, causes liver cancer and death and infects 1 out of 10 Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.

California State Majority Whip Fiona Ma, long-time ally in the fight against hepatitis B, as well as San Francisco Supervisor Carmen Chu will both be in attendance, helping to kick off the race.

The distressing realities about the prevalence of hepatitis B are being brought into a community-wide discourse, thanks to the efforts of the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University (ALC) and Answer to Cancer Foundation. Dr. Samuel So, director of the ALC, Stanford University professor and leading liver cancer and hepatitis B specialist, calls hepatitis B “the most neglected global epidemic.” Over 350 million people are chronically infected worldwide.

The event hopes to increase awareness in the general public about hepatitis B, and strongly encourage all individuals to get tested for and vaccinated against the virus. Eighty percent of all liver cancer cases are caused by hepatitis B, and most liver cancer cases are rapidly fatal. Fortunately, we have the power to completely eliminate hepatitis B - an effective vaccine was developed over 25 years ago. However, no coherent, large-scale vaccination campaign has yet been orchestrated. The Asian Liver Center is working to fight this neglected epidemic - to bring it into the public discourse so it is no longer neglected, and to work towards eradication so it is no longer an epidemic. Through community education and screening events, the ALC works to protect healthy individuals and identify infected individuals. “One-third of the Chinese population is 19 or under, so you potentially have 350 million unprotected kids,” So declares. “You have to protect the kids.”

LIVERight 2009 is on May 2nd, 2009, from 9am to 12pm, in Lindley Meadow in Golden Gate National Park.

Registration for LIVERight is now open! Families welcome! Please visit http://liver.stanford.edu for more information and to register. Advance registration is $25 for individuals, $20 for team members (a team is 5 or more individuals). Includes a free T-Shirt. Prizes and raffle items include passes to Great America, gift certificates to restaurants, and more!

About LIVERight

LIVERight is a 5K run/walk hosted by the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University and Answer to Cancer with the goal of raising awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer. Hepatitis B causes 80% of all primary liver cancer cases, and is considered the greatest health disparity affecting the Asian/Pacific Islander demographic. As many as 1 in 10 Asian Americans and 1 in 20 of all people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis B. Nearly 1 million infected individuals die every year. Our ultimate goal is to eradicate hepatitis B. LIVERight 2008 attracted over 600 runners and 100 volunteers, and raised over $100,000 to fight liver cancer and hepatitis B.

About the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University

The Asian Liver Center at Stanford University (ALC) is the first non-profit organization in the United States that addresses the high incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians and Asian Americans. Founded in 1996, the center uses a three-pronged approach towards fighting hepatitis B through outreach & education, advocacy and research. The Asian Liver Center spearheads educational outreach and advocacy efforts in the areas of hepatitis B and liver cancer prevention and treatment, serves as a resource for both the general public and health practitioners, and implements clinical and research programs.

If you would like more information about hepatitis B, the Jade Ribbon Campaign, or the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University, please visit http://liver.stanford.edu.

About Answer to Cancer Foundation

The Answer to Cancer run was founded by Adrian Elkins, a 20-year old student at Southern Oregon University who was diagnosed with liver cancer in October 2002. Adrian passed away only eight days after the first annual Answer to Cancer Race on August 11, 2003.

The Answer to Cancer Foundation was created to

1) provide funding and assistance to research-based cancer programs and institutions as well as educationally-focused cancer programs, associations and organizations; 2) garner awareness and public focus on the necessity for cancer research, trials and experiments in developing treatments and an eventually finding a cure for cancer; and, 3) educate the public about screening, high-risk factors and potential preventable measures associated with primary liver cancer.
Contact Us | Copyright 2007-2010. San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign, a project of Community Initiatives, Inc. All Rights Reserved.