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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chinese Community Groups Recognized for Hepatitis B Awareness Efforts

Contact: Angela Pang, apang@asianweek.com, (415) 321-5894

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Hep B Free will be honoring 9 Chinatown community organizations for their efforts in helping make San Francisco free of Hepatitis B. The organizations include: Lim Family Association, Hop Wo Benevolent Association, Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Association, Sam Yup Association, Chinese Hospital, Soo Yuen Benevolent Association, Portsmouth Square Garage, North East Medical Services and American Legion Cathay Post #384. This Spring, Chinese Hospital will be partnering with these organizations to provide free hepatitis B screenings in Chinatown.

San Francisco has the highest rate of liver cancer in the country, primarily among Chinese and Asian residents. 80% of all liver cancer is caused by Hepatitis B infection. Chinese and Asians are 100 times more likely to be infected with Hep B than non-Asians. One out of 10 Chinese has chronic Hep B disease and could develop liver cancer. Only one out of 1,000 non-Asians is infected with Hep B. There is a vaccine that prevents Hepatitis B infection, and there is medicine to prevent liver cancer.

All Chinese and Asians in San Francisco should be tested for Hep B and see their doctor.

WHEN:
Thursday January 28, noon

WHO:
Carmen Chu, Supervisor District 4
Roger Louie, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Presiding President
Damon Yee, Hop Wo Benevolent Association
Michael Kay, Sam Yup Association

WHERE:
Imperial Palace Restaurant
816 Washington Street, San Francisco

Lunch will be provided for media, please RSVP to Angela Pang, apang@asianweek.com, (415) 321-5894 by Wednesday Jan. 25 at 2pm.

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ABOUT Hepatitis B

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
www.sfhepbfree.org

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. The campaign's theme is "B a Hero. See a doctor who tests for Hepatitis B."

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Warriors Donate Portion of Asian Heritage Night Proceeds to SF Hep B Free

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | PDF

-Assemblywoman Fiona Ma to accept check during January 22 game-

WHAT: The Golden State Warriors will donate a portion of the proceeds from their Annual Asian Heritage Night on Friday January 22 to San Francisco Hep B Free - a citywide campaign to raise awareness of the importance of testing and vaccinating all Asian and Pacific Islanders for Hepatitis B. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, honorary chairperson of the campaign who is chronically infected with hepatitis B, will be participating in a check presentation before the game. She will be accompanied by the campaign's community supporters who will be dressed in Asian ethnic attire to celebrate the team's Asian heritage night.

Approximately 1 in 10 Asian American Pacific Islanders (APIs) in San Francisco has an undiagnosed case of hepatitis B. San Francisco has the highest rate of liver cancer in the nation.

All attendees who purchase the special Asian Heritage Night tickets will receive a free commemorative Asian Heritage Night T-shirt. Tickets can still be purchased today at:

https://www.gs-warriors.com/forms/secure/fct_asianamerican10.html

To celebrate Asian Heritage, prior to the game, Chinese-Taiwanese-American Alice Tong will sing the national anthem. During half time, the Cherng Loong Lion Dance Troupe will perform an energetic routine.

WHO:
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, a chronic hep B patient
Community supporters of SF Hep B Free campaign

WHEN:
Friday, January 22, 7:15pm

WHERE:
Oracle Arena
7000 Coliseum Way
Oakland, CA

VISUALS:
Colorful lion dance troupe during half time
Warriors check presentation with Assemblywoman Fiona Ma

CONTACT:
Troy Corti: TACorti@gs-warriors.com or (510) 986-5408 by Thursday Jan. 21 at 3pm to obtain media credentials for the game and access to the court during the pre-game check presentation.

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ABOUT HBV: 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. Eighty percent of liver cancer in APIs is caused by HBV. But it's preventable with a simple vaccine.

ABOUT SF Hep B Free: SF Hep B Free (sfhepbfree.org) is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between city government, private healthcare and community organizations. The goal of the citywide campaign is to eradicate hepatitis B in San Francisco by screening, testing and vaccinating all API residents.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Breaking the Silence on a Deadly Epidemic

Author: Julie Ha
Posted: December 10th, 2010

http://iamkoream.com/author/julie/

What if you were told there was a silent epidemic infecting one in 10 Asian Pacific Americans? That this disease is considered one of the top five leading causes of death for Asian Pacific Islander men living in California? That half of the 20,000 women in the United States who give birth each year and have this chronic infection are Asian Pacific Islander?

What would you do?

Some Asian American community leaders including Ted Fang, co-founder of the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign, joined by several lawmakers, says it’s time to make viral hepatitis, a disease that leads to inflammation of the liver, a national priority. They are responding in part to an announcement this fall by Dr. Thomas Frieden, chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who came out with a list of six “winnable battles,” which include smoking, AIDS, obesity/nutrition, teen pregnancy, auto injuries and health care infections. The list stirred quite a bit of controversy because some argued these conditions are, in effect, already national priorities, receiving a great deal of attention and government resources.

Meanwhile, viral hepatitis, remains largely unknown among the general public, as well as policymakers, despite the fact that it is the fourth leading infectious cause of death in the United States. An estimated 1.25 million Americans are chronically infected with hepatitis B (one of three of the most common types of viral hepatitis, along with hepatitis A and hepatitis C), with more than half of the infected being Asian Pacific Islander Americans, according to the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. While one in 10 Asian Pacific Americans is infected in the U.S., that compares to one in 1,000 among Caucasians, so this is clearly an especially important health issue for our ethnic community.

On a global scale, there are about 350 million people with chronic hepatitis B infection, and an estimated 78 percent of them live in Asia or the Pacific Islands.

Often dubbed the “silent epidemic,” an estimated 70 percent of persons with it do not know they are infected and risk transmitting the disease. And, yet, there are vaccinations to prevent two of the most common forms, hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

For those infected with viral hepatitis, without treatment, 15 to 40 percent will develop liver cirrhosis. An estimated 5,000 people in the U.S. die each year from hepatitis B virus-related liver cancer or cirrhosis with liver failure.

Despite these alarming facts, there remains a dearth of government leadership, public knowledge of and resources for viral hepatitis. Fang, whose Hep B Free campaign strives to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis B-free city in the nation with free and low-cost testing and vaccinations, says without public outcry, there is no political will to get this epidemic on the map.

In a recent letter to the CDC, 16 lawmakers, including Congress members Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Mike Honda (D-Calif.), demanded a “clear plan” for how the CDC will combat the disease. They called its omission from the list of six CDC priorities “glaring.” Their bottom line message: this, too, is a winnable battle if given the proper attention and resources. It’s an epidemic that shouldn’t remain “silent.”
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