Substance abuse and related diseases such as hepatitis and other blood borne pathogens are causing immeasurable heartache, suffering and loss of lives. It is also costing taxpayers in excess of $267 billion dollars annually. How can we stop the hemorrhage?
We, who are well informed about our bodies and avoid activities that can be detrimental to our health, have an obligation to share that information with our young children. Unfortunately, most of them do not have access to basic information about the liver, what it does for them 24 hours a day, and ways that it can be severely damaged. They are unknowingly participating in activities that may cause them a lifetime of pain and suffering. In addition, most parents lack sufficient knowledge or communication skills to discuss this issue with their children.
Over the years, the majority of health classes did not include information about the miraculous, non-complaining liver, or how to avoid exposure to hepatitis and other diseases. As recent as the mid 1970’s, curricula in many medical schools contained very little information about the liver compounding the problem.
Until a vaccine was developed for hepatitis B, little attention was paid to more than 100 liver diseases. Perhaps this was due in part to the fact that patients did not report having any pain in their liver to their physician. Unfortunately, the liver is its own worst enemy. It gives little or no warning of trouble until the damage is far advanced.
Thirty years ago, alcohol abuse was identified as the major contributing factor to end stage liver disease. Today, viral hepatitis infections outnumber the cases of alcohol induced liver disease.
It took many years of research to develop effective vaccines to provide protection against hepatitis A and B. Unfortunately, these miraculous vaccines are underutilized when they could be providing protection against these insidious diseases for millions of Americans . . . and especially children and young adults. We know children are participating in risk behaviors that can expose them to viral hepatitis and AIDS. Have we done all we can to help them avoid a lifetime of health problems?
HFI, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has developed a series of videos on liver wellness and prevention of viral hepatitis and substance abuse. These award winning videos, plus additional teaching tools and training programs, have received broad acclaim from teachers, nurses, public health officials, occupational physicians and nurses, and many others. Extensive evaluations of the liver wellness approach prove that once informed of a few vitally important liver functions, individuals are motivated to avoid liver damaging behaviors and adopt healthier lifestyle behaviors. We have some very effective tools. The public needs to be informed to help reach the younger generation.
Major corporations including The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, Southern Company, Georgia Power, GlaxoSmithKline and others are promoting liver wellness in the workplace to inform their employees about taking care of their liver and avoiding liver damaging activities including overuse and misuse of many over-the-counter-drugs, herbs, and illicit drugs. Our Partners in Liver Wellness are cognizant of the need for education about hepatitis and other blood borne pathogens. Many employees are unaware that they may be infected by one or more of several hepatitis viruses because the liver is a non-complaining organ. Symptoms may not be apparent until the damage is far advanced. Not only can they unknowingly spread these diseases to others; they may be accelerating the disease process by drinking any alcohol.
Many of the thoughtful people who donated blood for victims of the World Trade Center disaster will benefit by having these silent diseases identified through the routine screening done on all donated blood. Once informed they can seek a medical evaluation and options for treatments. Otherwise, the disease will continue to cause liver damage possibly for several years.
As the chair and CEO of the Hepatitis Foundation International and a Mom who lost a precious four year old son, Dean, to a rare and fatal liver disease 31 years ago, I am also known as the “Liver Lady.” Head Coach of the Falcons, Dan Reeves, claims my presentation had the greatest impact on his team helping them to make healthier decisions.
We need to reach the decision makers in this country to promote liver wellness and to make certain that young children are armed with enough information to know how to protect themselves and to take responsibility for their own health care. Unfortunately, parents and most teachers in elementary schools—where our health education needs to begin—are ill prepared to educate and motivate students to avoid risk behaviors that expose them to these treacherous viruses.
Individuals opposing vaccination for any disease are making unsubstantiated claims of untoward side effects of vaccines and undermining public health initiatives to bring these diseases under control. They are frightening parents who do not understand the importance of the liver or how hepatitis, in particular, can impact on one’s health and well being. Infants and children are particularly vulnerable to serious consequences of hepatitis infections.
Drug abuse is another treacherous terrorist that is destroying the health and minds of our most precious future leaders of the nation.
