A WORD FROM THE EDITOR!
Welcome to Tx! Mag #44!
We have two stories in this edition. The first story highlights the value of a support network when thinking about hep C treatment, in this case an Aunty with lived experience comes to the rescue. The second story talks about how easy it is to get up-to-date and true information about hep C treatment, even a child can do it. No disrespect, kids!
Gettin' it Right is the story of young Andy who got hep C sharing a fit. Stigma and discrimination weigh heavily upon his mind, but Auntie Liz gives great information and assists Andy on his treatment journey. Aunt also learns a a thing or two along the way. Team work!
Don't Wanna Lose You! Laura has had hep C for years and really, REALLY does not want to talk about it. However, her daughter, Katie, has other ideas and soon "turns the truck around". Our thanks to the hep C community peers who were originally involved in the focus group which helped feed into these stories.
This edition has our usual puzzles, a competition and a survey. You can go in the draw to win a $100 Coles/Myer voucher for both the survey (p12) and competition (p24), so fill them out and send them in... no postage required! And yes, the prizes do go to real people!
Hope you enjoy Tx! MAG #44! Cheers!
Steven Tx! Mag Ed
Aside from Hepatitis NSW editorial content, views expressed in this magazine or flyers enclosed with it are not necessarily those of Hepatitis NSW or the organisations with whom we collaborate. Neither are such views necessarily those of our funding bodies. Tx! Mag does not promote or condone the use of illicit drugs. Rather, it seeks to provide accurate information that will help people who already use drugs to reduce risks and make safer choices. Nothing in this magazine should be taken as recommending drug use.
Hepatitis NSW is proud to acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional owners and custodians of our lands and waters.
EDITOR/DESIGNER
Steven Davis
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Athena Mumbulla
Justine (JD) Doige
Maria McMahon
Kate Pinnock
Thomas Wright
Alex Wade
Naomi Hatchman
Danielle Resiak
Shana Quale
SPECIAL THANKS
Grace Crowley
GETTIN' IT RIGHT
Writer: Charlie Foster
Artist: Arturo Palacios
DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU!
Writer Charlie Foster
Artist: Trev Wood
CONSULTANTS
gestaltcomics.com
Hepatitis Infoline
1800 803 990 (freecall)
e: info@hep.org.au
w: hep.org.au
facebook: facebook.com/HepNSW
youtube: bit.ly/HNSWYT instagram: @hepatitis_NSW PO Box 432 Darlinghurst, NSW 1300
ABN 30 408 095 245
A non-profit health promotion
charity funded by the NSW Ministry of Health. Accredited by the Quality Improvement Council of Australia (QIC). Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.
EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO BE CURED OF HEP C!
TREATMENT IS SO MUCH BETTER TODAY!
Curing your hep C means you don’t have to worry about passing it on to your partner, friends, or family. If you’re cured, the worry is gone.
TESTING
There are more choices and ways to test...
n Point of Care finger prick test with results in 40 minutes;
n Dried Blood Spot (DBS) finger prick test with results by text, call or email. You can get a DBS kit posted to you. (For more info on DBS see page 26.)
You can get tested at...
n sexual health clinics;
n doctor’s clinics;
n drug and alcohol services;
n needle and syringe programs (NSPs);
n Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS).
TREATMENT AND CURE
The new treatment is a game changer…
n cures over 95% of people;
n has very few side-effects;
n is pills only, just 1 or 3 pills a day;
n no injections, no interferon;
n takes 8 or 12 weeks; and
n can be prescribed by local clinics, doctors and registered nurse practitioners.
Everyone has the right to the new hep C cure, even if you...
n have cirrhosis or liver damage;
n are using;
n drink alcohol;
n have been treated before and got hep C again;
n have been treated in the old interferon days and it didn’t work;
n are in prison; and/or
n live with a mental health condition.
5 PUT IT IN THE POST TO US (NO NEED TO BUY A STAMP, IT'S FREE TO SEND) * THESE $100 VOUCHERS CAN BE USED AT COLES/MYER & AFFILIATED STORES.
TX! survey#44
PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS... IT'S EASY!
1. Reading this Tx! Mag was useful to me...
2. After reading this Tx! Mag, I know more about hepatitis treatment...
3. Reading Tx! Mag made me think about... (tick all that apply)
4. What is your current postcode (or prison name)?
OPTIONAL QUESTIONS...
5. How could we make Tx! Mag better?
6. How old are you?
7. Please describe yourself: (tick as many as you like) person with hep C/cured of hep C person with hep B current prisoner
Email: MIN : calling the Hepatitis Infoline going to the Hepatitis NSW website talking to someone about support services talking to someone else about hepatitis it hasn't made me think about doing anything other (please let us know)
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander someone who doesn't usually speak English at home other (please let us know)
To enter the draw for the $100 voucher, please give us your name and phone number, email address or prison MIN (optional).
This prize offer is for NSW residents only - one entry per person.
Name:
Phone:
Congrats to Morgan F. who won a $100 Coles/Myer voucher from Tx! Mag #43. (...and yes, the prize does go to a real person! J)
Thank you to the many people who sent in their feedback over the last three months! We love to get, and appreciate, your input.
Hepatitis NSW respects your right to privacy. We have a policy and set of procedures on how we collect, use, disclose and hold your personal info. For a copy of the policy, please contact us on 02 9332 1853 or visit hep.org.au
Tx! COMPETITION
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS...
All you have to do to win is answer these four questions correctly, just tick the right box! We'll choose one entry at random and the first one with all answers right will be the winner!
1. Is it easy-peasy to get information about hep C treatment? [DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU!]
Yes, just ring 1800 803 990. I like peas
Don't know... I have to read Don't Wanna Lose you!.. Numbat
2. How many times can you receive hep C treatment? [GETTIN' IT RIGHT]
Whenever you have hep C, you can always receive treatment. Always! Sign of the times
Don't know... I have to read Gettin' it Right.. Wallaby
3. Is interferon still used to treat hep C? [DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU!]
No - there are new treatments with a 95% cure rate and little to no side-effects Interfering
Don't know... I have to read Don't Wanna Lose you!.. Bandicoot
4. How long does hep C treatment take? [GETTIN' IT RIGHT]
Hep C treatment takes between 8 and 12 weeks. How long is a piece of string?
Don't know... I have to read Gettin' it Right.. Hairy Nosed Wombat
TELL US YOUR DEETS...
To enter the competition for the $100 voucher, please give us your name and phone number, email address and postcode (if you're in prison, tell us your prison and MIN). This prize offer is for NSW residents only - one entry per person.
Name:
Phone:
Email:
Postcode (or prison name):
MIN :
We'll contact the winner and announce their name in the next issue.
Hepatitis NSW respects your right to privacy. We have a policy and set of procedures on how we collect, use, disclose and hold your personal info. For a copy of the policy, please contact us on 02 9332 1853 or visit hep.org.au
Congrats to Kimberley D. who was the lucky winner from last edition's competition draw!
FIND-A-WORD!
Can you find all 27 of these words in the puzzle above? The words might go up or down, left or right, forwards or backwards. The solution is below, but no peeking!
TATTOOS UNTREATED FRIENDS PARTYING BLABBED REASONS SYMPATHY INTERFERON CONCERN DOCTOR SICK SCARED INFORMATION ONLINE CHAT TREATMENT CURE MEDICARE LIVER STUBBORN SCAN SCRIPT TALK FOOTY EASY AMS TABLET
2 4 1 2
2
NUMBERS
Each grid is partially completed with numbers. The goal is to fill the missing numbers into the grid - from 1 to 4. In each column, row and grid you can use each number only once.
SHAPES
Each grid is partially completed with shapes - star, circle, square, triangle. The goal is to fill the missing shapes. In each column, row and grid you can use each shape only once.
TX! MAG #43 [HEP C]
Groundhog Week
Living with low energy is a common symptom of hep C. Bill struggles day after day until finally he stops to chat with "Hep Cured" lived experience peer, Jo.
TX! MAG #42 [HEP C]
Treatment is easy
Life can be busy, complicated and sometimes scary. Adding hep C treatment can feel like too much. But, Sam and Dani don't let life stop them from seeking treatment for hep C.
TX! MAG #41 [HEP C]
Needing a nudge
We meet Baz and Jim... despite knowing they have hep C neither of them are interested in getting cured. Will they change their minds by the end of their stories?
O U L B N G W S A
1. Footbal, soccer & rugby belong to these. (7)
6. Way or path (rhymes with "ow"). (3)
7. A mischevious person. (5)
8. A piece of tatty cloth. (3)
9. Move slowly & carefully to avoid being spotted. (5)
10. A painting or sculpture. (3)
12. A source of indoor light. (4)
15. Fry lightly then stew slowly. (6)
17. Joins with stitches. (4)
18. Strong little insect that lives in a nest. (3)
1. Animal fat. (4)
2. Strong feeling of annoyance. (5)
3. Rough or sloping surface. (6)
4. Mix sugar into coffee for example. (4)
5. Struggled against. (5)
9. Very tall machine used in building. (5)
11. Decayed metal. (4)
13. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. (3)
14. How does a sheep go? (3)
16. Not out. (2)
TARGET SOLUTION (red=more common)
aglow, agon, albs, along, alow, also, aulos, awls, awns, awol, bags, bang, bangs, bans, bawl, bawls, blag, blags, boas, boga, bola, bolas, bungalow, bungalows, gabs, gals, glans, gnaw, gnaws, goal, goals, gowan, guan, guano, guans, gula, gulas, labs, lags, lang, lanugo, lawn, lawns, laws, loan, loans, logan, nabs, nags, naos, sago, salon, sang, sawn, slab, slag, slang, slaw, slogan, snag, soba, sola, solan, swab, swag, swan, ulna, ulnas, wagon, wagons, wags
