hepc.bull
December 1999
Issue No. 18
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SAFELY
CLEAN UP A SPILL OF BLOOD OR BODY FLUID?
THIS ARTICLE WILL TELL YOU
HOW.
by Mark Bigham, MD, FRCPC, British Columbia
Centre for Disease Control
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is transmitted mainly by
exposure to HCV-contaminated blood. HCV infection is not generally associated
with exposure to other body fluids, such as saliva, urine, feces or vomit, but
if HCV-contaminated blood is present in these or other body fluids, then the
risk of infection will be greater. Therefore, it’s important to treat any
environmental contamination of blood or body fluid as potentially infectious.
The simple principles of cleaning and disinfecting, which are effective against
HCV, are also very effective against other micro-organisms.
Viruses can only reproduce inside cells and HCV
will not survive very long outside the human body—usually no more than a few
hours. Survival of HCV in the environment is limited by such factors as lower
temperature and dryness. HCV is also readily killed by standard household
products, such as 5% household bleach or 70% isopropyl alcohol.
If you encounter a spill of blood or body fluid,
the most important infection control principle is to avoid direct contact. This
is easily and effectively achieved by wearing rubber gloves—preferably single
use, disposable vinyl gloves, or even household rubber gloves. Litter, such as
broken glass should be picked up first. Try not to handle broken glass that
could tear the gloves. Pieces of stiff cardboard or newspaper folded over can
be used to pick up glass. When disposing of glass, wrap it in a newspaper
before throwing it in the garbage bag, to protect municipal waste disposal
workers from being cut when handling the bag.
Next, clean up the visible blood or body fluid
with plain water and disposable paper towel. Using water will dilute the spill,
reduce its infectivity, and facilitate wiping up the spill. Cleaning the
visible spill will also remove organic matter that can reduce the effectiveness
of disinfectants. The used paper towel can be put in a plastic bag (double bag
if very wet and dripping) and disposed of in the regular household
garbage.
A disinfectant should then be used. Regular
5.25% household bleach is an excellent disinfectant choice—it is inexpensive;
has low toxicity and is not usually irritating to the skin; is fast acting; and
is very effective not only against HCV, but also other blood-borne viruses
(e.g., HIV, Hepatitis B virus), bacteria and fungi. It can be diluted with
water to make a 1:10 to 1:100 bleach solution. The diluted solution should be
prepared fresh, since bleach degrades over time when exposed to air or light.
It can be wiped onto the surface with a towel and left to air dry, or poured
onto the affected area and then wiped up with disposable paper towels after 10
minutes. An effective, alternative disinfectant for use on colour-sensitive
fabrics or materials is 70% isopropyl alcohol, full strength, and applied in the
same manner as described for bleach.
Gloves can then be carefully removed and
disposed of in the regular household garbage along with the used paper
towels. Reusable gloves can be rinsed
in water and dipped or wiped in disinfectant and allowed to air dry. Finally,
don’t forget to wash your hands.
JUDE SAUCIER
Jude Saucier, from Louisiana, passed away this
past month from a massive heart attack. He was 39. We are all saddened by his
passing, and had no idea he was so ill. He had been in contact with our group
here in Victoria over the years, by telephone and by email. Jude gained fame by
starting the Hepatitis WebRing back in 1997, which now links about 150 Websites
on the World Wide Web. To the international online hepatitis community, Jude’s
gift has been precious. He helped give us a voice, and enabled us to come
together with that one voice. We all owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. He
is survived by his wife Brenda and a daughter, Kaitlin.
Jude was known to everyone as one of the most
kind-hearted persons anyone ever met.
He would not only give you the shirt off of his back, but his jacket
too. He was a very soft-hearted man,
who took into his heart everyone else's feelings before his own. Jude was very dedicated to helping others
that contracted hep. He felt that
perhaps he could make a difference in someone's life.
"It is a sad day." —squeeky
“Jude's love, sense of humour and dedication was
an inspiration to all fellow heppers. He will be sadly missed."—Smilin‘
Sandi.
“I am
and will forever be proud of Jude, not for just his accomplishments as a father
and husband, but for the help and information he has provided to those he could
reach.”—Brenda
GERARD LANTHIER
We
have lost another member here in Victoria. Gerard Lanthier was 49 years old
when he passed away last June 15th. He had been transfused in 1988,
and his brother Marc, upon learning how sick he was, flew him out here, where
he took care of him for the last 9 months of his life. Marc helped Gerard
realise some of his dearest dreams by taking him to Mexico, and just before his
death, to Tofino and Ucluelet. Gerard left behind his parents, other siblings,
and two children in Toronto.
DONATION FORM
Please fill out & include a cheque made out
to HeCSC - Victoria Chapter. Send to:
Hepatitis C Society of Canada
Victoria Chapter
926 View St.
Victoria, BC
V8V 3L5
Name: _____________________________
Address: ____________________________
City: _____________ Prov. ___ PC ______
Home (___) ________ Work (___)_________
One Year Subscription: Donation $10.00
Member of:
Victoria HeCSC
_________[]
Vancouver HeCSC ________[]
Okanagan HeCSC
________[]
HepC BC
_______________[]
Other
__________________[]
“I cannot afford to subscribe at this time, but
I would like to receive the newsletter.
I am applying for a grant.” ____[]
“I would like to make a donation so that others
may receive the newsletter without charge” ______[]
(A limited number of newsletters will be
available free of charge at group meetings, as well.)
DISCLAIMER:
The hepc.bull cannot endorse any physician, product or treatment. Any
guests invited to our groups to speak, do so to add to our information only.
What they say should not necessarily be considered medical advice, unless they
are medical doctors. The information you receive may help you make an informed
decision. Please consult with your health practitioner before considering any
therapy or therapy protocol. The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not
necessarily those of the editors, of HeCSC, HepC BC or of any other group.
SUBMISSIONS:
The deadline for any contributions to the hepc.bull is the 15th
of each month. Please contact: Joan King at (250) 388-4311,
jking@pacificcoast.net, Darlene Morrow at 1203 Plateau Drive, N. Vancouver, BC,
V7P 2J3, hepcbc@home.com or C.D. Mazoff at squeeky@pacificcoast.net
The editors reserve the right to edit and cut
articles in the interest of space.
ADVERTISING: The deadline for placing
advertisements in the hepc.bull is the 12th of each month. Rates are as
follows:
Newsletter Ads:
$20 for business card size ad, per issue.
There will be a maximum of 4 ads in each issue,
and the ads will be published if space allows. Payments will be refunded if the
ad is not published. Ads are also posted to the Web.
HOW TO REACH US:
EDITORS: TEL: (250) 388-4311
Joan King jking@pacificcoast.net
Darlene Morrow hepcvsg@canada.com
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/5670
C.D. Mazoff squeeky@pacificcoast.net
VICTORIA HeCSC OFFICE: TEL: (250) 388-4311
http://www.pacificcoast.net/~hepcvic/
hepcan@egroups .com/
Castlegar/Grand Forks/Trail Contact: Robin, 365-6137
Comox Valley Liver Disease Support Group
Meetings: Third Tuesday of each month, 6-8 PM, St. George’s United Church on
Fitzgerald. NEXT MEETING: December 21st. Drop in daily for coffee.
Contact: Ingrid or Nicky, 335-9167, nickyrussell@sprint.ca
Cowichan Valley Hepatitis C Support Contact:
Debbie, 715-1307, mygirl@olink.net , or
Leah, 748-3432, r._attig@bc.sympatico.ca
Downtown Eastside Hep C Support Group Meetings:
Wednesdays 7:30-9:30 PM, Carnegie Center, 401 Main St., Vancouver. Contact
Carolyn: momma@vcn.bc.ca
Enderby HepCURE Meetings: Last Sunday of each
month, 2-4 PM, for High Tea, The Raven Gallery, 701 George St. NEXT Hepatitis C virus
(HCV) is transmitted mainly by MEETING: December 26th.
Contact: Marjorie, 558-7488. www.junction.net/hepcure/index.html
Kelowna HeCSC Meetings: Last Saturday of each
month, 1-3 PM, Rose Avenue Education Room in Kelowna General Hospital. NEXT
MEETING: December 25th. Contact: Michael, 860-8178 or eriseley@bcinternet.com
Kootenay Boundary Meetings: Second and fourth
Tuesday of each month, 7 PM, 1159 Pine Ave. upstairs from Lordco auto parts.
NEXT MEETINGS: December 7th
and 21st. Contact: Brian, 368-1141, k9@direct.ca or Pat, 364-1555
Mid Island Hepatitis C Society Meetings: Second
Thursday of each month, 7 PM, Health Unit-Central Vancouver Island, 1665 Grant
St., Nanaimo. NEXT MEETING: December 9th. Contact: Susan, 245-7654, hepc@nanaimo.ark.com
, or Rose, 714-1937.
Mission Hepatitis C and Liver Disease Support
Group NEXT MEETING: November 25th. Pleasant View Care Home, 7530
Hurd St., 7 PM. (short distance past hospital, same street) Contact: Patrick,
820-5576.
New Westminster Support Group Meetings: Second
Monday of each month, 7:00-8:30 PM, First Nation's Urban Community Society,
Suite 301-668 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster. NEXT MEETING: December 13th.
Contact Dianne Morrissettie, 525-3790.
Parksville/Qualicum 1-291 East Island Hwy, Parksville. Open daily from 9AM to 4 PM,
M-F. Contact: (250) 248-5551. dbamford@island.net
Penticton HeCSC Meetings: Second Wednesday of
each month, 7-9 PM, Penticton Health Unit, Board rooms. NEXT MEETING: December
8th. Contact: Leslie, 490-9054, bchepc@bc.sympatico.ca
Powell River HepC Information and Support:
Please call Cheryl Morgan for time and place info. 483-3804
Prince George Hep C Support Group Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month, 7-9 PM, Health
Unit Auditorium. Next Meeting: December 14th. Contact Sandra,
962-9630 or Ilse, ikuepper@pgrhosp.hnet.bc.ca
Prince Rupert
Contact: April, 627-7083.
Princeton Meetings: Second Saturday of each
Month, 2 PM, Health Unit, 47 Harold St. NEXT MEETING: December 11th.
Contact: Brad, 295-6510, citizenk@nethop.net
Quesnel
Contact: Elaine, 992-3640.
Slocan Valley Support Group Meetings: Third
Tuesday of each month, 7-9 PM, W.E. Graham Community School Youth Centre,
Slocan. NEXT MEETING: December 21st. Contact: Ken 355-2732, keen@netidea.com , or Community School
Coordinator 355-2484
Sunshine Coast NEXT MEETING: Contact: Kathy, 886-3211.
kathy_rietze@uniserve.com
Vancouver CLF Meetings: Second Thursday of each
month, 7:30 PM, Nurses’ Residence of VGH (12th and Heather). Signs
will direct you. NEXT MEETING: December 9th. (Contact: the CLF,
681-4588, or Herb, 241-7766, HMoeller@compuserve.com
Vancouver Support Group Meetings
Last Wednesday of each month, 10:30-12:30. Please call to confirm. The
days may change if there is a booking conflict with the CDC for the room that
we use. NEXT MEETING: We have booked a 3 hr meeting on December
15th, BC CDC Building at 655 West 12th
(12th and Ash, next to the Cambie Street City Square Mall- park here). This meeting will be a potluck and will be
in rooms 70A & B which are downstairs.
Everyone is welcome! There will
be someone outside the building to direct. Contact Darlene N. djnicol@attglobal.net , or Darlene M. hepcvsg@canada.com or call 608-3544.
Vernon HepCURE Meetings: 1st Tuesday
12-2 PM and 3rd Tuesday of each month, 6-8 PM, the People Place,
3402-27th Ave. NEXT MEETINGS: December 7th and December 21st.
Contact: Marjorie, 558-7488. www.junction.net/hepcure/index.html
Vernon HEPLIFE Meetings: 2nd and 4th
Wednesday of each month, 10 AM-1 PM, The People Place, 3402-27th
Ave. NEXT MEETINGS: December 8th and December 22nd.
Contact: Sharon, 542-3092. sggrant@attcanada.net
Victoria HeCSC We will be having a Christmas
Potluck and Social for our December meeting. It will be held on December 10th,
from 7-9 pm at the Victoria PWA office, 541 Herald Street.
THANKS
HeCSC Victoria acknowledges the personal
donations, donations in kind and memorial donations received to date, and the
following for discounts, donations of services, or equipment: JJ Camp, David
Klein, Bruce Lemer, Woods Adair, David Anderson, Steve Orcherton, Barbara
McVagh, United Commercial Travelers, PECSF, CFAX 1070, AM 900, Pacific Coast
Net, Microsoft, Symantec, Jim Pattison Group, Paradon Computers, and
CompuSmart. We also wish to acknowledge the generosity of the Residents of
VIRCC, Uncle Dave and some wonderful anonymous donors. Additional thanks
to: Mount Royal Bagels, Howie Siegal,
The Pasta Place & Fernwood Home Services.
Special thanks to Lisa Harnois for
fund-raising at the Fun Run
Any change of address, phone number or postal
code, please let your phone contact (in Victoria) or your chapter secretary
know ASAP HeCSC Victoria Tel. (250)
388-4311 hepcvic@pacificcoast.net
REPRINTS
Past articles are available at a low cost. For a
list of articles and prices, write to the hepc.bull, via Darlene Morrow at 1203
Plateau Drive, N. Vancouver, BC, V7P 2J3, hepcvsg@canada.com
SQUEEKY'S CORNER
To all members of hepcvic:
When I first came out to Victoria, just over 2
years ago, I was immediately impressed by the creative and sincere energy
coming from the group. But I also noticed that you were under enormous
constraints (of which I believe you were largely unaware) and thus the true
creative potential of this group was not being realised.
First of all: there is the
hepc.bull, started, maintained and produced by Joan, which, with only a little
bit of help (better computers, programs, printing methods, editorial freedom)
has become the best known Hep C bulletin in Canada, and is internationally
respected. 2 years ago, circulation was
around 400. This month we printed 1600.
And there was the pamphlets
series, which Joan and others worked on and which remained in a desk drawer
rather than in clinics and homes where they belong. Again these could have
benefited from better technology, and some encouragement.
In my naiveté, I called Toronto, informing them
of all the wonderful things that were happening here, and told them what could
happen if they were just to give us a small hand.
My hope was that if we all
pitched in together we could probably get computer equipment cheaply; or we
could work on websites, or mass produce items, facilitate distribution and
reduce costs.
For those of you who have been following the
story in the bulletin, you are aware of what the result of our request for help
was, and the trouble it has caused.
Because of our efforts we discovered several
things: that the Hepatitis C Society of Canada is not a real “society,” but a
corporation with a large budget none of which goes to any local initiatives,
and most of which is spent on salaries for individuals who, as one of our
members has put it, do 1/10th as much as we do here. As well the governing structure is not
intended to reflect the wishes of the rank and file members, but the election
process is strictly controlled from the top through loaded proxy votes.
We also uncovered the fact that the Board of
HeCSC National betrayed the blood injured by backroom dealing with the
government, and refused to let the democratic representatives of those with
hepatitis C speak. As a result, many of our best-loved friends, Leslie, Joe
Haché, Ron Thiel, have either been prevented from speaking, or have resigned in
disgust from an organisation, which does not represent its members.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m a card carrying,
paid-up member of HeCSC. But at heart I’m just a Canadian with Hep C seeking a
society of fellow travellers. I will always stand for that vision, and have
done my best to bring this fact to National’s notice. I would much rather
transform HeCSC than destroy or leave it.
As it now stands, because of our aggressive
action, we have placed ads on the buses in Victoria, are sending out another
400 FAQs, and have had our pamphlets approved by the BC CDC and the MOH. We are in the process of distributing 80,000
of these now.
We have started the HepCAN
online information and support service, and have made the hepc.bull available
world-wide on the web.
All of these endeavours were actively resisted
by HeCSC National, an activity that continues even now. Just last month, instead of praising
Victoria for its successes, or even chipping in to help cover costs, Richard
Bond’s response was to send faxes across the country in an attempt to discredit
the pamphlets. This move was supported
by the complete BOD of HeCSC and by Tim McClemont as well. When I called and asked Tim for an apology
and a retraction we were treated rudely. I would ask that you, the reader, might phone Toronto and ask why
they have not yet apologised to Joan and me and to the Drs of the BC CDC and
made a public retraction.
I am glad to say that so far it looks like we
have won the fight, but the toll has been great. It has made Ron and me quite
ill, and turned me into a nervous wreck, and, as a result, both Ron and I have
stepped down from the Chairs at HeCSC Victoria, and Ron from the board of
HepCBC.
I am sorry that I have been such a pain; it is
not my intention to go around upsetting people. I would really much rather be sitting by the water and looking at
the ducks. But that doesn’t get much
done for the Hep C community, and justice is not served. Thus, I think it is true to say that without
our fighting HeCSC and the government in the way in which we have, we would not
have made our present gains, but we cannot continue this mode of activity.
I made several decisions along the way to
prepare us to be more self-reliant, which perhaps many of you did not
understand, but which I would like now to explain.
It was my understanding that to be truly
effective we had to be inserted into this community, and
/not rely on a head office or a government that
wasn’t listening. An office in the back
of a church wouldn’t do. Since I am disabled, I got involved with the ACPD (the
Action Committee of People with Disabilities), who offered us not only a space,
but their guidance and expertise. They help us with grant issues, networking,
and most importantly advocacy. In fact
it is due to this organisation that I began to become aware of how the everyday
rights of people infected with HCV are denied, or ignored.
As well, because most of the HIV community is
now co-infected, I felt that it was best to link ourselves with some AIDS
groups, who could also teach us the ropes.
It is also my understanding
that direct action against the government was not working, and that what we
needed was more community support. If we could get the community aware of Hep
C, then maybe their collective voice would move the government. The key here
was to get more active and more visible through the media—websites,
publications, pamphlets, bus ads, etc.
The end result of our consultation with these
other groups led us to believe that we needed to set up a new organisation
along the lines of the Persons with AIDS network—an organisation run for and by
those with the illness, rather than by a large bureaucracy with a big budget
and little sense or compassion.
Because HeCSC National actively
thwarted our attempts to educate the public, several of us decided to form a
new association—HepCBC.
HepCBC is not a replacement for HeCSC, although
it could be, I suppose. It is a voluntary association of independent support
groups designed to undertake and/or partner in projects that local groups with
their limited funds could not initiate or complete.
Many of the projects we do
here in Victoria would be more cost effective if the scope and production were
increased. It is cheaper to print and mail out 1600 bulletins than it is to
print 900. It is cheaper to design the bus ads once than to redo them in every
city.
If all these local groups could come together in
an association—some with local funding, and some with none at the moment—then
they would be eligible for funding at another level, and from another level of
government.
As it turns out, Health Canada has been watching
our activities (Ron says, “I knew that!”), and came out to talk with us about
HepCBC (several times), an idea actually proposed to us by the BC gov’t—thank
you Steve Orcherton, Ed Conroy and Craig Knight. It is not written in stone,
but it looks like this new provincial organisation will be eligible for a
sizeable grant to continue the projects that HeCSC Victoria and HepCBC in Vancouver
have already been engaged in. It will
continue to service all communities receiving the hepc.bull.
HepCBC has already established positive working
relationships with organisations such as the BCMA, Kiwanis, and various
provincial Ministries and local community groups.
Some of the projects HepCBC
has already undertaken and is looking to continue are:
·
Bus ads throughout BC
·
Computer distribution and networking
·
The Hopsy Children’s Book
·
Production and distribution of the
most current and reliable materials for Hep C education and prevention.
·
1-800 number
·
Setting up of local Hep C clinics
·
An advocacy network for disability
and treatment issues
·
And much more.
Now that things have calmed down around here,
and the true colours of HeCSC National are known to us, I have little worry
that the progress the Victoria chapter has made will be undermined.
I am quite tired. And my part is done. With
Judith, Arlene and Jean in the office, and with future volunteers, I am
positive that Victoria will maintain the reputation it has earned. I shall continue with the bulletin and
HepCAN, from my home, and probably come in one day a week to do the database
and answer the phones. People say I’m a good fundraiser and speaker—but you all
know me under pressure, and I need a rest. Maybe I could continue some of the
community links—but still, we need more volunteers.
So: my
thanks to all of you, especially, to Joan, and to Ron, Judith, Arlene, Frank,
Jean, Fatima and Dave FitzGerald for jobs well done.
It is my intention to formally relinquish the
Chair of the Victoria Chapter, Hepatitis C Society of Canada at this month’s
meeting. I shall not stand for the steering committee.
Dr. C.D. Mazoff
————————————
Aug. 12, 1999
Dear Editors:
As you know, I am a prisoner at V.I.R.C.C. in Victoria. I am also on
your mailing list, and have been for some months, free of charge. At this time
I wanted to say that I appreciate very much your newsletter and all you do to
help people infected with Hep C.
Each month when I receive your newsletter I read it and put it on the
bulletin board in my unit for the other prisoners to read and a lot of them do.
I was trying to think of what I or we could do in here for the Hep C
Society and discussed it with other Hep C positive prisoners here. At present
we have proposed to the staff that they allow us to make a donation to the
Society from our Inmate Welfare Fund that we have from profits from canteen
sales. At this time we are waiting for a reply.
If you can think of something we in here can do to show support I myself
would be more than happy to help anyway I could.
The donation may take some time but I will do everything possible to
make it happen. Thanks again for all you do, and for keeping me on the mailing
list.
I hope to have good news about the donation before the end of the month.
If you can think of anything else I can do please let me know. Thanks
again.
Sincerely, [Anonymous]
[Editors: This letter was somehow lost in the mail, and we just got it
recently, AFTER we received the kind donation from the inmates. We are
extremely moved by their generosity, and we're pleased that the newsletter is
doing some good.]
————————————
Elections for the steering committee of the
Victoria Chapter of HeCSC were to be held at the November meetings at the time
of printing. Results will be announced in the January issue of the hepc.bull.
Cured?
By Ken Benjamin, Seattle, Washington
[From an exchange on the HEPV-L, reprinted with Ken's permission.]
Sorry, I've just got to throw my 2 cents in. There are two distinct
issues that are often being run together, as they are below: Is a person
cured?, and Do we have reasonable tools for determining whether or not someone
is cured? These are two very different kinds of claims. To say that a person is
cured of HCV, I take it, is to say two things: (1) no HCV anywhere in the body;
and (2) no ongoing liver damage attributable to HCV infection (it might be,
e.g., that HCV starts a causal chain that continues to damage the liver even
after HCV is eradicated from the body).
This is a distinct issue from the issue of whether we can determine that
a person is cured. The tools we have can tell us when someone isn't cured, of
course, but they can't tell us whether someone is. A negative PCR, normal LFTs
and a biopsy that reveals no inflammation cannot tell us that a person is cured
for a couple of reasons. First, PCRs measure HCV in the bloodstream; they can't
tell you whether HCV might be hiding out somewhere else in the body. Second,
PCRs are not perfectly sensitive even as a measure of what's in the
bloodstream. That is why physicians use the term “sustained remission,” rather
than “cure.” Sustained remission simply means PCR-negative, normal LFT, and
biopsy with no inflammation. All that can obviously be measured; more than that
cannot.
For this reason, the claim Bob is in sustained remission does not imply
the claim that Bob is cured. That, everyone seems to understand. But it is also
important to realise that this means that the claim that Bob is in sustained
remission does not imply the claim that Bob is not cured. Someone who
doesn't satisfy the tests for sustained remission is obviously not cured. But a positive judgement about sustained
remission has no implications, one way or another, about whether a person is
cured. She might be or she might not
be. The available tools simply aren't
powerful enough to enable physicians to tell.
So it is simply wrong to claim that people who are in sustained
remission are not cured. And no physician who really understands that notion
would tell a person in sustained remission that she is not cured.
As an aside, though, long-term
studies of sustained responders suggest (though do not conclusively prove) that
they might be cured. There have been a number of studies tracking sustained
responders for various periods of time. All but one that I have seen posted
here on the list indicate that 90% of people who are sustained responders for a
year stay PCR-negative, etc., through the various study periods (4 to 10 years,
depending on the study). This has led some researchers to suspect that such
persons might be cured—though again, it is important to realise that such
studies are indirect
evidence for that hypothesis.
More of Peppermint Patti’s FAQ are now
available. The new version includes an HIV co-infection section as well as
updated Canadian Links. Place your orders now. Over 100 pages of information
for only $2 each plus S&H—but if you can afford more we’ll take it. Contact
Victoria Chapter.
————————————
Donors to Bus Ad Campaign:
Oak Bay Kiwanis
The law firm Woods Adair
D. Putsey
John and Shirley Hiley
Cassandra McColm
Thanks
to Jennifer Fetter & Ed Holst of Obie Media for all the help
6 Nov 1999
As of Thursday of last week, The Hepatitis C Society of Nova Scotia is
official. The papers should be in my hands early next week. I am working now to
put an official "first meeting" together. I want to hold it in one of
the theatres in The QE II complex, feature a guest speaker (hopefully Dr.
Peltakian) and also plan to invite Jamie Muir, as publicly as I can, to attend
to bring the Nova Scotia tax payers up to scratch on what his department is
doing to address the many problems that Hep C has and will create in our
society. More very soon
Bruce Devenne
Central
Alberta Chapter CLF Hepatitis C Support Group
Meetings every 2nd Thursday 6-8 P.M.
Provincial Building, Room 109, 4920 51 St., Red
Deer
Enter at southeast entrance
Everybody Welcome
For more Info call Shane at 309-5483
Kitchener Area Chapter
We will be having a Christmas Potluck and Social
for our December meeting. It will be held on December 15 starting with the
potluck at 6 PM. K-W Elks Lodge, 38 Bridgeport Rd. E. Waterloo, ON.
Season's Greetings to everyone across the
country from Kitchener-Waterloo members!
Durham Region HCV support group
Durham Hepatitis C Support Meeting
Date: Wednesday December 1, 1999
Time: 7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.
Place: Durham Region Health Dept.
1615 Dundas St. E., Whitby Mall, Whitby, Ontario
Directions: 401 to Thickson, N. on Thickson to
Dundas (Hwy. 2). Entrance off Thickson to Lang Tower, next to Bell Mobility,
2nd floor, Health Activity Room
Contacts: Jim (905) 743-0319 email
tndrhart@idirect.com ICQ# 38912877
or
email Smilin' Sandi smking@home.com ICQ# 5259509
"Sandi's Crusade Against Hepatitis
C" http://members.home.net/smking/
An article in November's Gastroenterology
(Nov;117(5),1234-1237) states that 10 cases of acute hepatitis in the last two
years were observed which resulted from these people taking preparations of
greater celandine (Chelidonium majus), which are often recommended for
treatment of gastric and biliary disorders. The course of hepatitis was mild to
severe. Liver failure did not occur. Other causes of liver disease were
excluded, and the hepatitis disappeared after stopping the herbal treatment.
By Joan King
Through experimenting with the metabolic effects
of alcohol and vitamin A in test tubes, these doctors have come to the
conclusion that many interactions occur between retinol, ethanol, and other
drugs.1 Therefore, longtime use of alcohol, drugs, or both, results not only in
lowered dietary intake of retinoids and carotenoids (included in vitamin A),
but also speeds up the breakdown of retinol. The loss of vitamin A affects the
liver, and may cause cancer cells to form. Normally, vitamin A supplements are
suggested for drinkers, but vitamin A is, to some degree, toxic for the liver,
and drinking alcohol increases this toxicity.
On the other hand, beta carotene, a precursor of
vitamin A, was considered harmless until recently. Now it is known to interact
with alcohol and that stops it from converting into vitamin A. Not only that.
The combination of beta carotene and alcohol is toxic for the liver. In people
who smoke and drink, beta-carotene supplements can produce lung cancer and
perhaps heart problems. The toxicity of beta-carotene was made worse when it
was given as part of beadlets.
So alcohol causes vitamin A deficiency and makes
both vitamin A and beta-carotene, more toxic. This should be taken into account
when trying to correct vitamin A deficiency in drinkers.
1American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 69,
No. 6, 1071-1085, June 1999
Maria A Leo and Charles S Lieber, "Alcohol, vitamin A, and
ß-carotene: adverse interactions, including hepatotoxicity and carcinogenicity''
This column is a response to requests for a
personal classified section in our news bulletin. Here is how it works:
To place an ad:
Write it up! Max. 50 words. Deadline is the 15th of each month and the
ad will run for two months. We'd like a $10 donation, if you can afford it.
Send cheques payable to HeCSC Victoria Chapter, and mail to HeCSC, Attn.
Squeeky, 926 View St., Victoria, BC V8V
3L5. Give us your name, tel. no., and address.
To respond to an ad: Place your written response
in a separate, sealed envelope with nothing on it but the number from the top
left corner of the ad to which you are responding. Put that envelope inside a
second one, along with your cheque for a donation of $2, if you can afford it.
Mail to the address above.
Disclaimer:
The hepc.bull and/or HeCSC cannot be held responsible for any
interaction between parties brought about by this column.
Ad No. 10
Respectful, respectable man (49) but looks younger who is very active
and loves life. I'm 6' tall, 210 lbs. and considered nice looking, emotionally
and financially secure and non-symptomatic. I won't let Hep C rule my life and
am looking for a positive female to share a long-term happy life together.
Vancouver area.
Ad No. 14
Victoria area man (48), HepC & B (healthy carrier), non-symptomatic.
Brown hair, blue eyes, smoker, non drinker/drugger, 210 lbs. physically fit.
Seeking female (30's to 40's) for companionship/possible relationship. Are you,
like me, accepting of this affliction, and focussed on moving forward in a
positive and healthy manner?
Ad No. 15
X-addict
I'm 5'9", 160 lbs, brown hair & eyes, tattoo's, HIV neg,
non-symptomatic, honest & sincere. I've cleared the slate, lost the baggage
and starting fresh. I'm looking for that special lady that's been there and
made it. Come on take a chance, I might be the one!!
"You're not alone..."
————————————
CLASS ACTION SUITS:
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Camp Church and Associates
Sharon Matthews / Kim Graham
4th Floor, Randall Building
Vancouver, BC V6B 1Z5
1-(888)-236-7797
Grant Kovacs Norell
Bruce Lemer
Grosvenor Building
930-1040 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6E 4H1
Phone: (604) 609-6699 Fax: (604) 609-6688
Before August 1, 1986 or 1990-1991
Klein Lyons
David A Klein
805 West Broadway, Suite 500
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1K1
(604) 874-7171 or 1-(800) 468-4466
(604) 874-7180 (FAX)
also:
Dempster, Dermody, Riley and Buntain
William Dermody
4 Hughson Street South, 2nd Floor
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z1
(905) 572- 6688
The toll free number to get you in touch with
the Hepatitis C Counsel is 1-(800) 229-LEAD (5323).
ONTARIO AND OTHER PROVINCES
Pre 1986/post 1990
Mr. David Harvey
Goodman & Carr
200 King Street West
Suite 2300
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3W5
Phone: (416) 595-2300
Fax:
(416) 595-0527
TRACEBACK PROCEDURES:
INQUIRIES-CONTACT:
The Canadian Red Cross Society
4750 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC, V6H 2N9
1-(888) 332-5663 (local 207)
This information is for anyone who has received
blood transfusions in Canada, if they wish to find out if their donors were Hep
C positive.
CLASS ACTION/COMPENSATION
If you would like more information about class
action/compensation, you can contact:
Ron Thiel Tel. (250) 652-0608
E-mail: thielron@pacificcoast.net
National Compensation Hotline
Tel.
1-(888) 780-1111
SAFER SYRIN