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WHEN INGRID Anderson first sought

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COMMUNITY EVENTS B2

TERRACE STANDARD

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - B1

SECTION B ALEX HAMILTON 638-7283

Locals urged to get tested for Hep C

A local woman wants to put hepatitis C into the spotlight, not only because she’s a sufferer, but also because people don’t understand what how the virus affects thousands of Canadians.

By ALEX HAMILTON

medical treatment in 1990 for pain in the right side of her abdomen, she'd never have guessed it would take doc-

Following a battery of tests, x-rays, ultza’ sounds, laproscopy and doctors probing her body to find out what was causing her pain, it was assumed her gallbladder was the root of her pro- blems.

But after doctors removed the organ, her suffering persisted.

“T-had my gall bladder removed and there was nothing wrong with it,” An-

Determined to pinpoint the cause of her illness herself, she began reading medical journals, which led her to be-

“soreness. But it wasn’t until she picked up a

fully realized what was wrong with her ~ she had hepatitis C.

“After reading it, | said ‘my God that’s me.” ”

Anderson, 42, who contracted hepa- titis C from a tainted blood transfusion after delivering her first child in 1984, said most Canadians aren’t aware of the hepatitis C epidemic in Canada and how it will continue to spread if people don’t take the necessary mea- sures to combat it.

First identified in 1989, hepatitis C is a chronic liver-attacking virus for which there is no cure.

Local public health nurse Carol

race residents have been. diagnosed with the virus.

INGRID ANDERSON pours over the research she’s done to learn more about hepatitis C. She contracted ‘the virus from tainted blood in- 1984.

“It seems like quite a few people

for a disease a few years ago wasn’t even recognized,” Harrison said.

She added many more local resi-.

dents, who haven’t been tested yet, may suffer from the virus.

It is estimated that 24,000 British Columbians may be infected with he- patitis C from a variety of sources, in- cluding people who may have re- ceived infected blood or bload pro- ducts prior to June 1990, which is when Canada began screening blood for the hepatitis C virus.

The total number of people in Ca- nada who have hepatitis C is believed to be between 90,000 and 300,000. Most of these people unaware they have the disease.

“People need to know the disease is rampant,” Anderson said. “People need to get tested. There are people who have hepatitis C who are walking around with it because they haven't been diagnosed.”

She said it’s hard to find much local information on the virus, which means people who may have symp- toms, which include tiredness, nausea, and abdominal pain, won't know to get tested.

Auction raises money

“It’s like a silent epidemic because people don’t know about it,’ ” Anderson added.

“A lot of people who have had blood transfusions or organ transplants before 1990 (when Canada began screening blood for hepatitis C) haven't even been tested.”

Because the virus, which attacks the liver, is spread from blaod to blood contact, Anderson said people should be aware it can be spread by sharing toothbrushes, razors, hairbrushes, nai! files, needles — anything that could get blood on it.

Andersen explained demands on health care for liver transplants in the next five to 15 years from hepatitis C sufferers will be staggering if the gov- ernment doesn’t start paying more at- tention to curing infected patients.

The costs of this epidemic on the health care system are estimated to be in the millions of dollars, she added.

Although hepatitis C is currently uncurable, government-approved drugs can help curb the disease from getting worse. When two drugs, Rebatron and {nterferon are taken together, the virus is expunged in about 40 per cent of

patients.

In Canada, thousands of hepatitis C patients are waiting for government assistance to help pay for the costly treatment.

Anderson said the amount of federal support, considering the threat to thou- sands of patients, is relatively small.

Even though the Chretien govern- ment agreed to compensate $1.1 bil- lion dollars to hepatitis C victims of tainted blood from 1986 to 1991, An- derson said the money isn’t enough.

Everyone with hepatitis C should get money to help with medical treat- ment, regardless of how they were in- fected, she said.

Last December the B.C. povern- ment agreed to cover Rebatron, but the treatment is only free for hepatitis C sufferers who are on welfare.

It is estimated that 1,000 patients on social assistance will qualify for the expensive drug every year, costing about $9.5 million annually.

B.C. Pharmacare can also cover the treatment by physician’s special re- quest, however, patients must first pay

a $800 deductible then 20 per cent of

the rest of the cost.

“People lose homes: and jobs be- cause they can’t afford the treatment. It costs about $2,000 a month,” Ander- son said.

Anderson, who receives the treat- ment for free, paid for by the federal because of her aboriginal descent, said it’s an insult to all who are denied this treatment because they do not fit in a special group like she does.

She said the issue shouldn’t be about money, it should be about people’s lives and whether or not pa- tients will be alive in five or ten years.

“The federal government does little to help people who suffer each day. People are dying and our government is sending money to other foreign countries,” she said.

She said the government must also ensure that there are adequate support services available for people receiving treatment.

She said Terrace needs an outpa- tient program at the Mills Memorial Hospital so people can be monitored by a physician after receiving their shots.

“Its important that if something

Around Town

goes wrong, a dactor is there to help.”

Rebetron treatment causes patients dramatic side affects, she said.

Anderson is often nauseous, and too lired to cook — too exhausted to eat.

And because the treatment depletes the body’s iron stores, sometimes she can’t get out of bed, Iet alone lift her arms

Anderson said the treatment also causes depression and anger.

Prior to discovering she had hepati- tis C, she was an “A” student at Northwest Community College, where she was taking courses in Criminology,

“It’s frustrating; it’s sad. | had high expectations, and it wasn’t sleeping on a couch for the rest of my life.”

Anderson urges anyone who has had a blood transfusion, organ transplant, tattoo, or injected drugs to get tested for the disease.

“Hepatitis C can sit dormant for 15 years and all of a sudden, ‘Whamo and you have it full blown disease.”

The sooner people know they have the disease, the sooner they can get treatment to curb symptoms, she added.

Symptoms of hepatitis C

Mi Some people have no symploms, therefore

for Transition House

IT’S AUCTION time! So bring your wallet and bidding power to the Terrace Transition House's dinner and live auction Saturday, April 22 at the Coast Inn of the West.

Child support worker Shelley Haynes-Marrelli said the auction will raise money to purchase new furniture for the hame.

The Transition House ~— which is home to women and children fleeing from abusive relationships — desperately needs a facelift, Haynes-Marrelli said,

“We need new lamps, end tables, and curtains. Our coffee tables are wobbly, our couch is resting on blocks right now and covered in sheets." The lamp shades are tattered — it’s in rough shape,” she sald.

The auction, which features articles donated from local businesses, will offer a little something for every- body, she added.

Articles up for bidding range from rainwear to tickets to Shames Mountain.

“You name-it, we’ve got it,” “There’s so much stuff.”

Doors into the Coast Inn of the West banquet room open at 6 p.m. with cocktails available.

“Come have a drink and meet Transition House staff,” Haynes-Marrelli said, “Come Jearn about the Transition House and what we do.”

The buffet dinner, which begins at 7 p.m., will offer locals both meat and vegetarian opticns.

The auclion will take place at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and are available at Uniglobe Courtesy Travel, Central Flowers, the Ksan House and the Terrace Women’s Re- source Centre.

If anyone would like to donated an item for the auc- tion, contact Shelley at 635-6447.

said Haynes-Marrelli.

Grads model

A FASHION show, put on by the Caledo- nia Dry Grad committee, will impress re- sidents with local haute couture and have them tappin’ their toes to funky beats.

Caledonia Grade 12 students will be modelling fashions from the Skeena Mall to raise money for their year-end alcohol- free party.

The event’s coordinator Helen Mc- Innes, said the show isn’t about models walking the catwalk. It’s about putting on a fun show — complete with live singing and models dancing.

“We're doing a GAP commercial type thing,” she said, adding that Carol Ander- son from CJ Dance Studio will be choreo- graphing the event.

“We're making it something differ- ent,” she added, “The prads are off the wall about it.”

The fashion show will take place Wednesday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m, at the REM Lee Theatre. Tickets cost $5 and are available al Ruby Red.

Open your home

THE INVESTORS Group is asking Terrace residents to become billets and provide hospitality for 125 cast members expected for the Up With People concert May 6 at the Terrace Arena. Billets will be needed fram May 4-7. If you would

’

like to help, call the Investors Group at 635-0601.

The concert, which features a cast of young people aged 17-25 from all across the world. During their visit, cast mem- bers also donate 600 hours of community service. The show includes musical skits describing different cultures around the world,

Tickets are on sale at Sight and Sound in the Skeena Mail and cost $16 for adults and $12 for seniors and students.

Plants needed

THE GREATER Terrace Beantifica- tion Society would like donations of plants for their annual fundraising plant sale, which takes place May 13.

All proceeds go toward creating a memorial garden by the four-way stop on Highway 16. For pick-up call‘ Myrna 635- 4224, Karen 635-0135 or Alison 638-0063.

Riverboat Days

Riverboat Days is Terrace’s only festi- val, The Riverboat Days commiltee, which is the coordinating body that brings all the event sponsor groups together to put on Riverboat days, needs more volun- teers, ideas, input and suggestions on how to keep Riverboal Days going. -

For more info call Karlene at t 635-2061 or Phyilis at 638-1327,

they don’t know they have the virus,

When symptoms do occur, they are nonspeci- fic: patients sometimes complain of vague feelings of fatigue, nausea or general unwellness,

@ Symptoms of acute hepatitis C may include: fever, tiredness, jaundice (yellow skin ar eyes) ab- dominal pain, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea.

HW Other long term health problems include: tir- edness, lack of energy, digestive problems

@ If left untreated, hepatitis C leads to fatal complications like cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer, leaving patients needing liver transplants. However, the supply of human livers available for transplant is inadequate.

How is hepatitis C spread?

Wi The virus is spread by direct contact with the blood of an infected person.

M@ Having received a transfusion of bioad or blood product in a country where the blood supply isn't tested for hepatitis C. As of June 1999, all blood and blood products in Canada have been screened for the hepatitis C virus, s =

W Sharing drug snorting or injection 6 fent | such as needles and syringes. Sharing toothbrushes, dental floss, razors, nail files or other items which could have tiny amounts of blood on them.

@ Skin- ~piercing procedures such as tattoos, body-piercing acupuncture or electrolysis if the equipment is not sterile.

@ Hepatitis C is NOT spread by coughing and sneezing, and friendly contact like hugging and kissing.