#57 HepSA Community News by Hepatitis SA

#57 • October 2012

Community News

WORLD HEPATITIS DAY Needles in Prisons • Think, then Ink

WIN!

Remember that from now on, the best best contribution in the form of a letter or personal story printed in each issue of the Hepatitis SA Community News will receive a $2 5 shopping voucher. Write to us about anything to do with the magazine, the Council, living with hepatitis, or living well ideas.

Hepatitis SA provides information, education and support to the hepatitis C community and those at risk. Street: Mail: Phone: Fax: Web: Email:

3 Hackney Road, Hackney PO Box 782, Kent Town SA 5071 (08) 8362 8443 1300 437 222 (08) 8362 8559 www.hepsa.asn.au admin@hepsa.asn.au

STAFF

Email the editor at james@hepatitissa.asn.au

Executive Officer: Kerry Paterson Administration: Megan Collier Kam Richter Info and Support Line Coordinator: Deborah Warneke-Arnold

SA Health has contributed funds towards this program.

Info and Support Line Volunteers: Fred Will Debra Michele Steve Karan Louise Janette Education Coordinator: Simona Achitei Educators: Nicole Taylor Michelle Spudic (Rural) Dan Hales Ngoc Nguyen (Hepatitis B)

About the Cover Cover image derived from ‘Three Wise Monkeys’, image CC by Luisus Rasilvi (flickr.com/photos/luisus_d/3590735093)

Useful Contacts & Community Links Hepatitis SA

Provides information, education and support to people affected by hepatitis B and C and to health and community workers. We offer free education sessions, printed information, telephone information and support, referrals and a clean needle program. Hepatitis SA also facilitates Calming the C, a support group for people affected by hepatitis C. Office Tel: (08) 8362 8443 Hepatitis SA Helpline: 1300 437 222 (cost of a local call anywhere in SA).

MOSAIC & P.E.A.C.E.

ACT Prison NSP Trial

Information and Resources Officer: Rose Magdalene

World Hepatitis Day

ICT Support Officer: Bryan Soh-Lim

Body Armour

Librarian: Joy Sims

Kaz’s Story

Relationships Australia (SA) provides support, education, information and referrals for people affected by hepatitis C through these two services. MOSAIC is for anyone whose life is affected by hepatitis C, and P.E.A.C.E. is for people from non-Englishspeaking backgrounds. MOSAIC (08) 8340 2022 P.E.A.C.E. (08) 8245 8100

Think Before You Ink

Nunkuwarrin Yunti

Peer Education Coordinator: Maggie McCabe Peer Educator Mentor: Fred Robertson

Correspondence: Please send all correspondence to The Editor at PO Box 782, Kent Town, SA 5071, or email james@hepatitissa.asn.au.

Peer Educators: Karan Megan Penni Will Information and Resources Coordinator: Cecilia Lim Information and Resources Volunteers: Alyona Phil Philip Yvonne Publications Officer: James Morrison

BOARD Chairperson: Arieta Papadelos Vice-Chairperson: Currently vacant

Contents

12 CPIX

Secretary: Stefan Parsons

Free Hep B Vaccines

Treasurer: Darrien Bromley

Calming the C

Senior Staff Representative: Kerry Paterson

News in Brief

Ordinary Members: Lisa Carter Catherine Ferguson Bill Gaston Carol Holly Tess Opie Jeff Stewart

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Hepatitis SA. Information contained in this newsletter is not intended to take the place of medical advice given by your doctor or specialist. We welcome contributions from Hepatitis SA members and the general public. Diminishing to a singularity

An Aboriginal-controlled community health service with a clean needle program and liver clinic. (08) 8223 5011

Clean Needle Programs

To find out about programs operating in SA, contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service. 1300 131 340

Partners of Prisoners (POP)

Facilitates access to and delivery of relevant support services and programs which promote the health, wellbeing and family life of partners of prisoners who are at risk of hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS or are people living with hepatitis C or HIV. (08) 8218 0700

SAVIVE

Provides peer-based support, information and education for drug users, and is a Clean Needle Program outlet. (08) 8334 1699

Hepatitis Helpline

This hotline, formerly operated by Drug & Alcohol Services South Australia, has now been handed over to Hepatitis SA: see the Hepatitis SA listing above.

SA Sex Industry Network (SA-SIN)

Promotes the health, rights and wellbeing of sex workers. (08) 8334 1666

Vietnamese Community in Australia (SA Chapter)

Provides social services and support to the Vietnamese community, including alcohol and drug education, and a clean needle program. (08) 8447 8821

The Adelaide Dental Hospital

has a specially funded clinic where people with hepatitis C who also have a Health Care Card can receive priority dental care. Call us at Hepatitis SA for a referral on (08) 8362 8443.

Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council of SA (ADAC) Ensures the development of effective programs to reduce harm related to substance misuse in Aboriginal communities. (08) 8351 9031

Aboriginal Health Council SA

Peak body representing Aboriginal communitycontrolled health services and substance misuse services in SA. AHCSA is the ‘health voice’ for all Aboriginal people in SA, advocating for the community and supporting workers with appropriate Aboriginal health programs. (08) 8273 7200

Are you interested in volunteering with Hepatitis SA? Please give us a call on (08) 8362 8443 or drop us a line at admin@hepatitissa.asn.au and let us know. We rely on volunteers for many of our vital services.

ACT AMC NSP? OK! Health groups celebrate needle exchange program for ACT prison Hepatitis SA joins a number of other health organisations in celebrating the ACT Government’s decision to include a needle and syringe exchange program (NSP) as part of its broader strategy for the management of blood-borne viruses in the ACT’s sole prison. The ACT Government plans are for a trial of a one-for-one model, in which doctors can provide prisoners with clean needles in exchange for dirty injecting equipment. The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) and Hepatitis Australia all applauded the move as “a triumph for common sense and evidence based approaches to addressing the spread of blood-borne viruses in the community.”

“The ACT Government is to be congratulated for developing a comprehensive, evidencebased strategy that will reduce the spread of BBVs both within the prison and the broader community. Advocates within the public health and alcohol and other drug sectors in Australia have been calling for the introduction of NSPs in prisons as part of prevention efforts for the better part of two decades,” said Michael Moore, PHAA’s CEO. “The inclusion of this measure as part of the broader approach to preventing the spread of disease reflects the hard work of many in collecting evidence and building a strong case over time. The efforts of the many individuals and organisations that have contributed to

Photo CC Graeme Bartlett [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ACT_gaol.jpg] Internal Pages - Issue 57 - Oct 2012.indd 1

achieving this outcome should be acknowledged. ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher has urged opponents of NSPs, including the opposition Liberal Party, to change their minds. “There isn’t a jail in the world that has been able to achieve [stopping drugs from entering prisons], and for the Liberal Party to think that can be achieved at the Alexander Maconochie Centre prison is just ridiculous. “I’ll be accused of waving the white flag on drugs coming into the jail. That’s not the case at all. We’ll continue to remove a lot of contraband.” David Templeman, ADCA’s CEO, pointed out the dangers. “The recent ACT Inmate Health Survey showed an overwhelming (continued over page)

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91% had taken illegal drugs and 67% of those had injected drugs. Given reports of needle-sharing in the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), the potential transmission risk in custodial settings is obviously higher than anywhere else,” said Mr Templeman. “It has previously been established that up to 65% of prisoners in the AMC have hepatitis C, including eight prisoners who have been proven to have contracted the virus within the facility,” said Helen Tyrrell, Hepatitis Australia CEO. “Last year Hepatitis Australia released a Consensus Statement on Addressing Hepatitis C in Custodial Settings and the introduction of NSPs was one of the measures recommended as part of a comprehensive approach. It is vital that consideration of the NSP concept is understood within the broader framework of public health responses to BBV prevention, and the ACT Government’s plan reflects this philosophy. “The comprehensive approach adopted will no doubt help to stop the spread of hepatitis C, HIV and other BBVs within the prison population and the broader community, so it is a very sensible step forward.” The South Australian Department for Correctional

Services has unfortunately rejected a call to introduce a needle exchange program into our state’s prisons, saying such a program would put staff and prisoners at risk because needles could be used as weapons. However, Melanie Walker, Deputy CEO of PHAA, is hopeful that this is not the end of the matter. “The ACT Government’s decision to implement a needle and syringe exchange program in the ACT prison has no immediate implications for policies and practices in custodial facilities in other jurisdictions, “ she said. “However, PHAA is hopeful that the ACT Government’s action, and the rationale underpinning it, will prompt other jurisdictions to reflect on whether the measures they are currently taking to prevent the spread of bloodborne viruses in prisons are comprehensive enough. “With most prisoners spending relatively short periods of time behind bars and then returning to their families and communities, it is vital from a public health perspective that comprehensive strategies are implemented to reduce the risk of transmission of communicable diseases within prisons because of implications for broader community health outcomes.”

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Some of Hepatitis SAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities for World Hepatitis Day: (left) our contribution to the world record attempt (see pages 4 and 5), (above) Body Armour (see p6), (below) our North Terrace display, and (centre) the CPIX exhibition (see p12).

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Some of the international media coverage: from top to bottom, The Boston Herald (USA), The Edmonton Sun (Canada) and The Courier & Advertiser (Fife, UK)

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Guinness World Record, Cooking & Art Some highlights from World Hepatitis Day in SA Hepatitis awareness-raising took a global turn in SA this year with our participation in a World Hepatitis Alliance led world record attempt. Forty-five people gamely went through the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” actions at the Hepatitis SA office forecourt. This theme was chosen to highlight the fact that hepatitis is being ignored all over the world. The Guinness Book of Records attempt, now an official record, had the largest number of people recorded performing the actions in 24 hours at multiple venues around the world. Overall, 12,588 people in 21 countries took part. Promotional materials were sent out to other services including Drug and Alcohol Services SA (DASSA) in metropolitan and rural areas, and SAVIVE sites. DASSA clinician in Whyalla, Michelle Cholodniuk, reported extremely positive feedback from the new Whyalla library. “Coral Dyson, the library team leader, offered us their new display area and hosted our display for over a week,” she said.

Natasha Turnbull (left) with Whyalla Library team leader Coral Dyson in the amazing hepatitis display room guard against hepatitis A. • Education wheels that visitors could take off the wall and learn about how the liver works , what is does, and what a normal liver looks like, as well as information on acute viral hepatitis and chronic viral hepatitis. • Interesting facts of the liver including liver care information on diet and alcohol. • Transmission, Treatments, Prevention for hepatides A,B,C • Images of locals who joined in and agreed to promote the message in the world record attempt.

Michelle said the Whyalla display included:

• Free items like pens, stickers, badges, tattoos

• Information about correct hand washing with free hand washing equipment for people to practise to

• Information on Hep C and pregnancy Meanwhile, SAVIVE chose

to focus on information sessions about hepatitis C treatment. Nicole Skelley, the organisation’s Outreach CNP Coordinator, said four information sessions were held at the Keswick, The Parks, Noarlunga and Salisbury sites respectively. All the sessions were accompanied by fabulous, healthy lunches. “Margery Milner, the hep C nurse, spoke to our workers about the role of the Hep C nurses and the support they can provide to clients who are considering Hep C treatment,” she said. “Having this knowledge creates a great referral opportunity for the workers that attended this session.” SAVIVE workers and clients at The Parks had an information session with another hep C nurse, Jeff Stewart. Jeff (continued on page 16) Hepatitis SA Community News October 2012 • 5

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SA Tour of Body Armour a Big Success! Hundreds enjoy hepatitis-themed play In July of this year, Hepatitis SA and the Aboriginal Health Council of SA (AHCSA) collaborated on a project which brought Australia’s premier Aboriginal Theatre Company, Ilbijerri, to SA to tour their acclaimed theatre production of Body Armour, after staging two successful tours of the play Chopped Liver throughout SA in 2007 and 2009. Body Armour addresses the highly topical issue of hepatitis C/blood-borne virus transmission and body art/

‘blood sisters’ and injecting drug use. The play specifically targets Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, but the messages contained within are universal and therefore accessible and important for all youth. In the lead-up to World Hepatitis Day on July 28, Hepatitis SA and AHCSA were excited to invite a number of South Australian schools to participate in the tour. This was done by staging performances of Body

Audience members Sarah, Tallara, Telisha and Rachel modification, especially body-piercing and tattooing, which continues to grow as a phenomenon within youth culture. Body Armour also looks at other forms of hepatitis C transmission, including

Armour within the schools for the students and, where appropriate, their local communities. The tour took place in regional centres including Port Augusta, Ceduna, Port Lincoln and Maitland, as

well as metropolitan schools including Kaurna Plains, Warriappendi School, Le Fevre and Christies Beach High Schools. Specific schools were approached during the programming process because of their links with Aboriginal communities, their high Aboriginal student enrolment, and their commitment to principles of health promotion and reconciliation. The response was extremely positive! By the end of the tour, almost 600 South Australians saw performances of Body Armour, including almost 500 secondary school students, and up to 50% of these students identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Students were also asked to complete a questionnaire after the performance, and of the respondents over 92% stated that they enjoyed the performance and, more importantly, over 89% stated that their knowledge of hepatitis C had increased after seeing Body Armour. Also, over 91% of students stated that their confidence in preventing themselves from acquiring hepatitis C through body art had increased after seeing the performance. Now that the tour has finished, Hepatitis SA and AHCSA are looking to strengthen the partnerships

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among young people and the potential for transmission of blood-borne viruses via piercing and tattooing means educating young people about hepatitis C and assisting them to become ‘blood aware’ is an extremely valuable exercise in attempting to reduce new infections.

built between the individual regional schools and the local AHCSA member organisations as a result of the project. As part of this process, Hepatitis SA and AHCSA will revisit schools who participated in this project to work alongside AHCSA member organisations in delivering

a series of hepatitis C and other blood-borne viruses health education workshops to the students, focusing on body piercing and tattooing. Whilst the majority of hepatitis C transmissions occur through sharing injecting equipment, the popularity of body art

Hepatitis SA and AHCSA would like to thank Ilbijerri Theatre Company for their outstanding work in delivering these important health promotion messages, and for their fantastic performances. Thanks also to the schools who participated in the tour, and to the STI and BBV Section of SA Health for funding this exciting project. Dan Hales

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Hep C & Me: Kaz’s Story One bad decision and living with the after-effects Let me introduce myself: my name is Karen Dean. I have been living with hepatitis C, genotype 1, for 21 years. I don’t believe it’s ever really that important to ask how someone contracted hepatitis C, as we all know there are a number of ways by which this insidious disease has become an epidemic. I have tattoos, but no, it wasn’t contracted from those. I have never had a blood transfusion, so that only leaves one likely possibility for my infection. Yes—I shared one needle one time with someone when I was only 26. I had been raised in what one would call a perfect home environment. We were taught morals and all the good things in life. We—I have 3 sisters—were always able to approach our parents, who were concerned for our well-being, to talk about anything that was on our minds. At the age of 18, working full-time as a computer operator, I would enjoy drinks with my colleagues. I also was an active sports player. Again, again it was a social environment, and we would arrange parties and get-togethers where the alcohol ran freely. I was a normal, wellbalanced young lady whose only possible bad habits were smoking cigarettes and drinking (not that I see

drinking as a bad habit, as long as it isn’t one!). I married a man from the tennis club, and he was a lovely guy. Paul was straight and, I came to realise as time went on, unfortunately a little nonadventurous and boring. I left him and within six months had met man who would become the father of my children. I had no idea he was a heroin addict. We travelled for months and had a ball seeing Australia. When we arrived back to Adelaide I was pregnant with my first son. Unfortunately, it was at this time that he told me he used heroin, socially, from time to time. “Oh well,” I said, “that’s your business, and I don’t judge you for that.” Later, I found I was making many judgements. I lost everything of value, and ended with no credit rating. That’s the trivial part of the story, though, because the one time I watched him inject himself with heroin I was fascinated, and I asked if I could have some. I’ve always been one of those people who would try anything once. Well, once was all it took. Though he knew he had hepatitis C, he still shared a needle with me. I was young and naive and I’d had no education regarding drugs or sharing needles.

Above: some of the most recent postings to Kaz’s video blog on Youtube: see www.youtube.com/user/ TheKazdean1965 That’s all in the past now. I was offered the opportunity to go on interferon 10 years ago, but unfortunately the man I was involved with at the time was very against any kind of treatment like that, and he had me brainwashed

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that I was better off to live with the virus, seeing that it didn’t seem to affect my life in a major way. That was when I was in my thirties, when I had a lot of energy, I was raising a child and going to university. As I have aged it has been very obvious to me that I have become lethargic and unable to do the normal things people do sometimes—like getting out of bed, for example! Last year I finally began interferon and ribavirin treatment at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. I had a negative experience right from the start—any sideeffects that have been mentioned, I experienced them, and then some! I even had blackouts or the opposite of blackouts, a kind of hallucination or false memory, where I swore to my partner that we had had a night out the night before, and though the memories were so real to me, he told me we had gone nowhere. I was mentally affected, and physically I couldn’t function. There were quite a few times where ambulances were called, due to my haemoglobin being so low: I kept passing out, and at one point had a fit at the doggy park, banging my head on the ground repeatedly (which I don’t remember, but my poor 12-year-old had to deal with it by asking someone for their mobile to ring an ambulance).

Despite all of these tribulations, I stayed on the treatment as long as I possibly could. I was determined not to give up. If you go online and visit www.youtube.com/user/ TheKazdean1965 you will see the decline on my video blog posts. I have found that YouTube is a fantastic way to tell your story as you are experiencing it, and to watch others to see how they are going. In the end I was going to have a blood transfusion, which thankfully didn’t happen. During my treatment the blood test results had come back with the virus undetectable a few times, so I had hope, but in the end I was bedridden and had to stop the treatment 10 weeks early. The outcome of that horror story was that no, I didn’t lose the virus, and I swore I would never go on the treatment again. Well, now it’s six months later and I’m back on treatment! I’m currently in week four of interferon and ribavirin, I’ve experienced no side-effects, and my viral load is only 3200. I go for my blood test this week to see if it’s undetected and to add the Victrelis protease inhibitor to the equation*.

I’m not cocky in assuming it’s all going to be a bed of roses, but I must say this time around things are much improved. Before I went on treatment I made sure I had enough support, that I have no responsibilities, and if I want to rest in bed I can. I also have an oil burner with lavender, marjoram and chamomile constantly burning to calm the senses. I’m writing this in the hope that if anyone has gone through the awful time I had last year—I also lost my very long hair—there is still hope that the next treatment could be a totally different experience. I have much hope and faith that this time the treatment will work. I don’t want to die in 10 years, which is basically what I’ve been told could happen if I don’t heal this horrible virus. I have far too much to live for. I’m a writer and singer-songwriter, and I adore my children. So if any of you out there are too scared to try, just set yourself up with a support system and live it a day at a time—that’s what I do, and it has kept me in good stead. Good health and happiness to all! Kaz Dean

name for a boceprevir medication: see Hepatitis SA * Victrelis is a brand Community News issue 54 (online at issuu.com/hepccsa/docs/hccn54) for more information. Hepatitis SA Community News October 2012 • 9

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Think Before You Ink The President of the Professional Tattooing Association on backyard tatts

I ask Neil if it hurts and he says, “Nah!” “He’s lying!” Gary teases, then Neil says, “A little bit… it pinches a little bit.” Gary then starts whistling while he works. A comforting sign, in what can be a nerveracking experience. Gary Welch runs the Celtic Circle Tattoo Company in Kalamunda, Perth. He is also the president of the Professional Tattooing Association of Australia. His business has been around for 9 years, and he has been tattooing for 25. Celtic Circle offers the community a reasonable product for a reasonable price in a safe environment. When asked how he got into tattooing, he explains, “I’ve always been drawing.” “I used to draw tattoos on my friends for lunch money,” he jokes. I then ask him what his thoughts are on ‘backyard tattooing’.

“It’s inappropriate and dangerous! Tattooing is minor surgery, and it should be conducted in a safe environment—and to ensure the safety of the environment, it needs to be inspected by a local health and environmental health inspector. Even if a backyard operator tries their hardest to do the right thing, they’re not educated, so they don’t know their enemy when it comes to viruses and bloodborne pathogens.

In his career, he has done about 25,000 tattoos on clients, and amongst them, has fixed about one thousand backyard tattoos. That’s 1 in 25 people.

“For me, going to a backyard tattooist is like going to a backyard dentist… it’s stupid.” Neil starts laughing. But what Gary says isn’t a laughing matter. There has been a steady rise in backyard tattooing in Australia. Many people have come to Gary with a backyard tattoo to get them fixed. When asked what that procedure is like, he responds, “You will never get as good a tattoo as you would with the first go at it, because you have to cover up the mess that was put there to start with. And it can be a little more painful, because you’re usually going over damaged nerve tissue for the second time.”

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Photos © Felicia Bradley, with thanks to Gary Welch and Neil Cressey Background image CC Patrick Carey (flickr.com/photos/foresthills/3744912162

Neil is sitting in what looks like a dentist’s chair, getting a ‘Hammers’ tattoo (it being the nickname for his favourite soccer team, West Ham United). Gary, the tattooist, explains that he makes a stencil of the tattoo first to get an accurate design, and then applies it to the part of the body where it’s desired. In this instance, it’s going on Neil’s right forearm. He then goes over it with the tattoo gun.

Photos © Felicia Bradley, with thanks to Gary Welch and Neil Cressey Background image CC Patrick Carey (flickr.com/photos/foresthills/3744912162

The demographic of people who come in with a backyard tattoo is very wide. “Sometimes parents have their children tattoo them— it’s a strange world.” So how does one get the title of ‘Professional Tattooist’? The tattoo industry is mostly unregulated, so really, anyone who sets up a shop could call themselves a professional tattooist. “It’s really a case of buyer beware,” explainsGary. “If I were shopping for a tattoo, I’d want to smell the premises, have a good look around, and check that it was clean and hygienic.” Gary adds that you should meet with your potential tattooist and ask him or her about their sterilising and hygiene procedures, without feeling angst about those questions. The tattooist should be open and responsive. Naturally, you should also request to see photographs of that particular

tattooist’s work, keeping in mind that what they show you will be their very best work. Just make sure that it’s good enough for you. “It’s really a case of doing your homework in these areas.” Any equipment that comes into contact with blood has to be either fully sterilised or thrown away. There are three forms of sterilisation that are acceptable. There is the autoclave with steam and heat, there is ethylene oxide gas (EO), and there is dry heat. There is no such thing as sterilising solution. “People who think there is a sterilising solution are only using a disinfectant solution, and it’s not designed to kill viruses”. If you’re using disposable tubes and disposable colour trays, there is no need for a steriliser, because there isn’t anything to sterilise. “I prefer the stainless steel tubes,” Gary remarks, “and I go through the sterilising process, and even go as far

as monthly microbiological checks on the steriliser itself, to test that it’s actually doing the job.” Any backyard tattooist who says they are ‘certified’ isn’t being honest. “There is no certification to be a tattooist. You can be a member of the Professional Tattooing Association, but in order to be a member, we will inspect your studio. You have to have a studio, and you have to be a legitimate registered business. If you don’t, you’re basically a backyard tattooist. “As soon as you put a tattoo on someone, you could call yourself a tattooist, and that’s because the industry is not properly regulated. Backyard tattooists watch ‘Miami Ink’, but that’s just a TV show— it doesn’t really bear any resemblance to the truth of tattooing.” Finally, your tattooist should be an artist. “People often get their aspirations mixed up with their capabilities because their mum tells them they’re really good… then I see their artwork and I wouldn’t dream of putting that on me! It just goes back to the old analogy: There’s good mechanics, and there’s bad mechanics.” Felicia Bradley Reprinted with permission from HepatitisWA’s CFiles Learn more about the Professional Tattooing Association at their website, www.ptaa.net. Hepatitis SA Community News October 2012 • 11

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CPIX Healthy body art and hep C Health promotion through art can be a powerful tool for getting across important messages. CPIX was our latest such project, a collaboration between Adelaide Northern Headspace and Hepatitis SA in June 2012. The aim was to combine education, discussion and artwork to give young people the opportunity to communicate their ideas about hepatitis C prevention, especially in the context of healthy body art. Running for four weeks, CPIX covered the risks of hepatitis

C transmission (particularly through ‘backyard’ tattooing and body piercing, including a talk from a professional tattooist and piercer), hepatitis C prevention methods and staying safe, the social and emotional aspects of hepatitis C, and options available for young people who think they may be at risk. As young people learned more each week, they developed hepatitis C harm minimization messages relevant for young people interested in body art, and created original tattoo designs. These were painted on two life-size mannequins,

which were displayed in the Northern Headspace office and the HIVE youth centre (926 North East Road, Modbury). The mannequins will now be displayed in Gawler main street shop fronts. A big thank-you to Adelaide Northern Headspace, the guest speakers, and all the participants involved in CPIX! For more information about CPIX or body art and hep C, please contact Nicole at nicole@hepsa.asn.au. Nicole Taylor

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Calming the C • Information and support in a confidential, friendly environment • Speak to others who have had treatment • Partners, family and friends welcome Meet us fortnightly on Tuesdays, 12.30pm-2.30pm at Hepatitis SA, 3 Hackney Rd, Hackney To get more information, phone 8362 8443 or 1300 437 222. The dates for the rest of 2012: Tuesday, 2 October Tuesday, 16 October Tuesday, 30 October

Tuesday, 13 November Tuesday, 27 November

Tuesday, 11 December

Friday, 28 September Friday, 26 October Friday, 23 November

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News in Brief Possible liver cancer cure

CHI Study Cancelled

A new study shows that loss of a small RNA molecule in liver cells might cause liver cancer and that restoring the molecule might slow tumor growth and offer a new way to treat the disease.

The Charting Health Impacts (CHI) study, promoted in issues 49 and 50 of this magazine, has unfortunately ended prematurely. This was due to a low number of volunteers willing to assist in the study, and limited funding from the federal government.

The animal study was led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center -- Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC -- James). The scientists examined what happens when liver cells lack a molecule called microRNA-122 (miR-122). They found that when the molecule is missing, the liver develops fat deposits, inflammation and tumors that resemble hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. When the researchers artificially restored miR-122 to nearly normal levels by delivering the miR-122 gene into liver cells, it dramatically reduced the size and number of tumors, with tumors making up 8 percent on average of liver surface area in treated animals versus 40 percent in control animals. “These findings reveal that miR-122 has a critical tumorsuppressor role in the healthy liver, and they highlight the possible therapeutic value of miR-122 replacement for some patients with liver cancer,” says study leader Dr. Kalpana Ghoshal, associate professor of pathology and a member of the OSUCCC -- James Experimental Therapeutics Program. MiR-122 is found mainly in liver cells -- it is the most abundant microRNA in those cells -- and it plays a major role in regulating cholesterol

in the body. This microRNA is lost in some people with HCC, however, resulting in a poor prognosis. For this study, Ghoshal and her colleagues developed a strain of mice that lacks miR-122 and develops HCC through the progression of events that begins with fatty liver deposits followed by inflammation and liver cancer. The researchers then used a second strain of mice that spontaneously develops liver cancer due to overexpression of a cancer-causing gene called MYC (pronounced “mick”). The researchers delivered miR-122 into the animals’ livers during tumor development. Three weeks later, those treated with the molecule had smaller and fewer tumors. “The model we developed for these studies will not only facilitate our understanding of liver biology, but it will also be good for testing therapeutic efficacy of newly developed drugs against liver disease, including HCC,” Ghoshal says. Ghoshal also notes that research by others has shown that hepatitis C virus requires miR122 for replication. “Because our findings demonstrate what happens when miR-122 is lost in liver cells, they might help improve the safety of new drugs that treat hepatitis C virus infection by blocking miR-122,” she says. Source: Ohio State University Medical Center (2012, July 23). Loss of tiny liver molecule might lead to liver cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 7, 2012, from www.sciencedaily.com.

The hepatitis social research program at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society remains committed to building the Australian evidence base on the social, economic, cultural and clinical aspects of living with hep C. The data CHI was able to gather is now being analysed to provide a baseline for comparison with future data from other studies, and will be made available when analysis is complete.

Sharps Law Change From 1 September 2012 it has become an offence to put sharps into household waste or recycling bins. It is now prohibited under section 18, the disposal of medical sharps clause, of the Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010 South Australia. From now on, please make sure that you return all of your used injecting equipment to your clean needle program. If you don’t there could be serious financial consequences. For an unintentional standard breach, the fine is $500 or a $100 (plus Victim of Crime levy) expiation notice. For an intentional breach, the fine can be up to $30,000. Hepatitis SA Community News October 2012 • 15

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The ‘My Precious Liver’ drawing competition prize-giving at the Chinese Association of SA Chinese Ethnic School (continued from page 5

was able to have informal discussions with clients including one who shared his personal experience of being on treatment. New volunteers and clients at SAVIVE Noarlunga had a training session with Hepatitis SA educator, Michelle Spudic while clients at SAVIVE Salisbury were offered information around hepatitis B and C to promote a better understanding of the differences and similarities between them. Hepatitis SA educators were also kept busy facilitating education sessions at the Point Pearce Aboriginal Health Service, Maitland Hospital, Yorketown Hospital, the Maitland Aboriginal Health Service, The Woolshed and Port Augusta Prison. Othe rmajor activities were CPIX (see p12) and the tour of the Body Armour play by the Ilbijerri Theatre Company. (see p6). Our members and supporters rose to the occasion again this year in the increasingly

successful annual Down Your Street campaign where we ask their help in spreading liver health messages by distributing bookmarks down the streets around their homes or workplaces. So far over 20,000 bookmarks have been distributed by over 90 people. The bookmarks promoted our new recipe book Eat Well for Your Liver and a significant number has been sent out in response to requests from people who got the bookmark in their letterboxes. Other events included the launch of a mobile-friendly version of the “I ♥my liver website”, the installation of eBox at The Woolshed, My Precious Liver drawing competition prize-giving at the Chinese Association of SA Chinese Ethnic School.

The launch was attended by over 50 members of the Bhutanese community. Cynthia Caird from Migrant Resource Centre SA, Dr Jill Benson from Migrant Health SA, Ellie Jayne the book’s photographer and Caitlin Dowell the book’s project officer were also there. Gauri Giri, facilitator of the Didis’ Group, provided interpretation for an Eat Well presentation by Rose Magdalene from Hepatitis SA. This was followed by a delicious healthy lunch featuring Bhutanese dumplings and the by-nowfamous ‘Fred’s Must-Try Salad’. Cecilia Lim The Didis’ Group, preparing healthy liver food

The 2012 Hepatitis Awareness campaign was finished off with the launch of Eat Well for Your Liver. This launch was held in partnership with Adelaide Migrant Resource Centre Didis’ Group who participated in the New Country New Food project in 2010.

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