A WORD FROM THE EDITOR!
Welcome to Tx! Mag #45!
In this month's issue we focus on hepatitis B. Talking about hep B openly and honestly as well as prevention and treatment.
"Easy As" introduces us to young Jimmy who is on a health and wellbeing journey. Along the way he meets wise Elders. Jimmy quickly learns that alongside emotional wellbeing there is a sexual health angle he never even considered. Elders advise Jimmy about preparing for lifelong commitments to his own, and his partner's, health.
"The Food Truck" is Kiara's passion project. She is never happier than when she is in the truck, "The Grumbling Goanna", serving up great food to happy customers. But, as we know, life can get away from us and we might not take the best care of our health and wellbeing. That is when good friends step in to do what best friends do best....support us.
This edition has our usual fiendish puzzles, a competition and a survey. You can go in the draw to win a $100 Coles/ Myer voucher for both the survey (p18) and competition (p30), 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 #45! 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) Doidge
Maria McMahon
Kate Pinnock
Thomas Wright
Alex Wade
Naomi Hatchman
Danielle Resiak
Shana Quale
SPECIAL THANKS
Grace Crowley
THE GYM
Writer: Charlie Foster
Artist: Arturo Palacios
THE FOOD TRUCK
Writer: Charlie Foster
Artist: Mitch Collins
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.
CUT OUT & SHARE
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
Get tested for hep B
Ask your doctor for all 3 tests
Hep B surface antigen
Hep B surface antibody
Hep B core antibody
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#45
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 Amber M. who won a $100 Coles/Myer voucher from Tx! Mag #44. (...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. Can hep B be passed on by unprotected sex? [EASY AS]
Yes, and by blood to blood contact, eg sharing tattoo, piercing & injecting equipment. Buzz, buzz
Don't know... I have to read EASY AS... Dumbell
2. Is there ever a reason to discriminate against a person with hep B? [THE FOOD TRUCK]
No! Never! Stigma & discrimination put people off getting tested and treated for hep B. Squeak, squeak
Don't know... I have to read THE FOOD TRUCK... Hamburger
3. Is there a vaccine for hep B? [EASY AS]
Yes - Get tested. See your doctor, give them the cut-out card on page 13 Tick, tock
Don't know... I have to read EASY AS... Bench Press
4. Can you live a long and healthy life with hep B? [THE FOOD TRUCK]
Yes, just have 6 monthly check ups with your doctor or nurse & stick to the meds. How long is a piece of string?
Don't know... I have to read THE FOOD TRUCK... Beetroot
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 Marty S. who was the lucky winner from last edition's competition draw!
FIND-A-WORD!
EASY AS SUDOKU
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.
Can you find all 30 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!
VACCINATE SEX
EMPATHY GOANNA BLOOD EXERCISE CHECKUPS
TEST
TREATMENT BEETROOT
BALL BANDAGE
STIGMA
BLAH
TOOTHBRUSH
RAZOR TATTOO
PROTECTED
GAMMON REGULAR
NO PEEKING..!
SYMPTOMS CONDOM
YARN CULTURE
HEPB BIRTH
BLAH BURGER BICEP ELDER
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 #44 [HEP C]
Turning the Truck Around Andy got hep C. Stigma weighs upon him. Aunt has great advice & joins him on his treatment path. Meanwhile Laura WON'T talk about hep C. Daughter, Katie, has other ideas.
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.
CROSSWORD 1
ACROSS (3)
1. How young you are
3. Crackers & _ _ _
5. To compete eagerly
6. There are 5 on a foot
8. To disrespect
10. Where you might find a piggy wiggy
12. Holiday _ _ _
14. Slippery like an _ _ _
15. Not old
16. Tree trunk
DOWN (3)
1. Small insect at picnics
2. The night before
3. Somehere to hide
4. Hang your clothes with one
7. Abbreviation of one of the months
9. A long period of time
10. The male child
11. A tree with red berries
12. Not well
13. Harrass
Solution next page
C I A L F E K S H
How many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters here? In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each word must contain the centre letter, and there must be at least one nine-letter word. No foreign words, no words with initial capitals and no hyphenated words.
What's your score?
7 Meh. But at least you tried!
13 Pretty good, eh?
22 Awesome
34 Holy crap! Mega genius!
50+ You are clearly a human dictionary and/or computer...we didn't even know half of those crazy words!
Answers next page
1. Found on top of the toes (7)
6. All around us, gets thinner the higher you go (3)
7. Extreme (5)
8. Ray presented this popular TV show (3)
9. Cheers (5)
10. You beaut work vehicle (3)
12. Small insect that bites (4)
15. Makes cold cubes in the fridge (6)
17. A Welsh person for example (4)
18. Your own home improvement (3)
1. Attempt to sell outside music venues (4)
2. In addition to (5)
3. Ancient beaded device for doing maths (6)
4. Spews from a volvcano (4)
5. You find entertainment at this place (5)
9. Backbone (5)
11. A system of weights or man's name (4)
13. Collection of handy stuff, eg fishing (3)
14. You sleep on it (3)
16. Two (2)
TARGET SOLUTION (red=more common)
fishcake, filches, hackles, shackle, chafes, chaise, chalks, chelas, chiefs, chisel, elfish, fiches, haceks, hackie, hackle, laches, sheila, aches, chafe, chalk, chase, chefs, chela, chief, clash, fiche, filch, flash, flesh, hacek, hacks, hails, hakes, hales, heals, hicks, hikes, lakhs, leach, leash, selah, shack, shake, shale, sheaf, sheik, shelf, ache, cash, chef, chis, each, fash, fish, hack, haik, hail, hake, hale, half, heal, heck, hick, hies, hike, hila, kish, lakh, lash, lech, sech
