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You can check to
see how your charitable gifts are being spent by non profit
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Go to the Guidestar website
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Type in the
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 Click on the
nonprofit name
 Establish a
password to
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view the
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United Way Donors -
Hot Tip!!
You can make your check out to Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI)
and give it to the Captain of your United Way campaign.
United Way will get credit for your gift and the total amount will be
sent to HFI without any administrative costs deducted.
This is a WIN - WIN for HFI, UW, and
especially you.
Federal Employees Can Choose
Hepatitis Foundation International
Make HFI -
Your Charity Of Choice
Our CFC Agency Code:
11842
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World Hepatitis Day - May
19, 2008
Are You Ready? For Effective
Tools
Click Here
Write Your Legislator About Hepatitis Click Here
2008 Viral Hepatitis Health Leadership Summit
WHEN: Friday, June 20,
2008
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
WHERE: Sheraton Four Points
Baltimore
Conference Center, BWI Airport
A one day professional education and training summit
for health professionals and others working with people who are
affected by or infected with viral hepatitis.
To register
Click Here.
Grapefruit Joins Fight Against
HCV
Researchers lead by Yaakov Nahmias, Ph.D
at the Massachusettts General Hospital Center for Engineering in
Medicine identified the role grapefruit may have in hindering the
propagation of hepatitis C. This citrus fruit may be added to
antiviral medications in the future. Before adding grapefruit to
your daily diet, there are a few cautionary measures to be reviewed.
Grapefruit and its juice can be dangerous to people who take certain
medications.
For More
Click Here.
View Videos on
Hepatitis and Liver Wellness
--Healthcare Providers-Teachers-Parents-Teens-Tiny Tots
Features
Grapefruit Joins Fight Against HCV (Contd.)
Investigators found
that hepatitis C virus binds to a very low-density lipoprotein (vLDL
also known as bad cholesterol) before it is secreted from liver
cells to re-infect additional liver cells. This serves as a key
pathway in the viral lifecycle. Since HCV does not integrate its
genetic material into the DNA of infected cells totally clearing the
virus is possible if new cells were not being infected. Interfering
with the transport of HCV out of cells
holds a great deal of therapeutic promise.
Scientists found that by blocking vLDL with a compound in
grapefruit, hepatitis C lost its vehicle and thus was stopped from
expansion. Grapefruit’s bitter taste is caused by the presence of
the flavanoid naringin, which is metabolized into naringenin, an
antioxidant known to reduce the secretion of vLDL from liver cells.
Researchers found that naringenin reduces the secretion of Hepatitis
C from infected cells. Phytonutrients in grapefruit, called
limonoids, inhibit tumor formation by promoting the formation of
glutathione-S-transferase, a detoxifying enzyme. This enzyme sparks
a reaction in the liver that helps to make toxic compounds more
water soluble for excretion from the body. By helping the liver
clear out cancer-causing toxins, limonoids’ promotion of
detoxification enzymes is a simple way to ward off the development
of cancer.
GRAPEFRUIT CAN CAUSE
PROBLEMS INTERACTING WITH MEDICATIONS.
According to Amy Karch, RN, MS of the School of Nursing at the
Unversity of Rochester Medical Center, grapefruit juice is one of
the foods most likely to cause problems with medications. Grapefruit
juice can block an enzyme that breaks down that makes it easier for
medication to be metabolized resulting in blood levels of the drug
rising faster and higher than normal. In some cases this can be
dangerous. It doesn’t take much grapefruit juice to boost the levels
of drugs that are susceptible. READ WARNING LABEL ON MEDICATIONS
CAREFULLY.
Some drugs that interact with grapefruit include:
Anxiety: Xanax, Buspar, Versed, Halcion
Depression: Luvox, Zoloft
Allergies: Allegra
Heart disease/stroke: Coumadin
Cough: Destromethorphan (found in some cold medicines)
HIV: Agenerase, Crixivan, Viracept, Norvir, Fortovase
Heart Disease/High blood pressure: Coreg, Cardizem, Plendil, Cardene,
Adalat, Procardia, Nimotop, Sular, Covera, Calan, Verelan
Asthma: Theophyline
High cholesterol: Liitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Zocor
Pain: Alfenta, Duragesic, Aciq, Sufenta
Infection: Biaxin, Sproanox, erythromycin, troleandomycin
The new evidence supporting the use of grapefruit in the fight
against HCV is exciting, both because it may lead to viral
elimination and because it can be done with an all-natural,
well-known food source.
CSAP
Engages HFI to Train Minority Peer
Education Project Directors
Minority Education Institution (MEI) Initiative Project Directors
representing 6 minority universities and colleges attended a
Foundation for Decision Making ™(FDM) Liver Wellness Training
session supported by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services
Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (
CSAP). The focus of the training promotes healthy lifestyle
behaviors and avoidance of liver damaging activities such as alcohol
use and abuse. The program was the third in a series of FDM
trainings to enhance substance abuse, HIV and Hepatitis prevention
peer education programs on the campuses of Alabama A & M University,
Fisk University (TN ), Florida A & M University, Northeastern
Illinois University, Wind River Tribal College (WY) and Winston
Salem State University, (NC). The FDM training is a program
developed by the Hepatitis Foundation International embraced by
SAMHSA. Over 3,000 of SAMHSA’s grantees dealing with substance
abuse prevention have attended FDM training sessions.
Tattoo Safety:
Preventing the Spread of
Hepatitis and HIV
Getting a tattoo is a life-long commitment and should be considered
carefully and responsibly. Life-threatening infections can occur
when irresponsible tattoo artists re-use needles and ink caps or do
not use the proper equipment for sterilization. The same safety
procedures are needed in tattooing as would be used in a doctor’s
office or hospital. If you are considering a tattoo, be proactive in
protecting yourself from the long-term consequences of unsafe
procedures.
-
Tour several shops
before deciding where to get your tattoo. If anyone refuses to
give you a tour, seems annoyed or reluctant, or does not know
the answers to your questions, this is a red flag – move on to
the next shop!
-
Ask to see their
sterilization procedure. All shops should use an FDA-regulated
autoclave sterilizer, single-use disposable needles with a safe
medical waste disposal container, and new inks for every
customer. Artists must wear glove.
-
Call your state
health department to find out what regulations, if any, are
required of tattoo salons in your state. When you get your
tours, ask to be shown any documentation such as licenses that
prove the shop is compliant with the laws.
-
Your new tattoo is
like an open wound - always follow the aftercare routine given
to you to ensure that your tattoo heals properly and does not
become infected.
Give
Your Liver a Break DVD Wins Emmy Award
The National Academy of Arts and Sciences presented the
Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in television programming for
children to Hepatitis Foundation International's newest production,
"Give Your Liver a Break". Bill Shomo accepted the award at
the Emmy Awards Ceremony held in Orlando, Florida. Kudos to
Bill, President of Chaumont Communications, who co-produced the DVD
with HFI.
"Through Bill's exceptional ability to tailor messages promoting
liver wellness to various audience's in the series of fourteen DVDs
he has created for HFI, millions of viewers, young and old, have
received messages to help them live healthier lives," said Thelma
King Thiel, HFI's CEO.
"Give Your Liver a Break" and other HFI DVDs are available for
viewing on our website, to view,
click HERE.
Hispanic,
Black and Native
American college students promote liver
wellness
Minority students from 12 colleges were energized and praised the
unique communication skills learned at a training session provided
by the Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI).
The Minority Education Initiative, a program supported by the Center
for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), collaborated with HFI to
provide their unique Foundation for Decision Making (FDM) Training
for peer educators and their project directors. The focus of the FDM
training is to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors by understanding
the importance of the liver
to their health and wellbeing.
Click here for more
Foundation For Decision Making,
Changing Risk Behaviors - The Bottom Line
Changing
risk behaviors and promoting healthy lifestyles through HFI’s
Foundation for Decision Making (FDM) Training is reaching a broad
range of intermediaries (teachers, counselors, nurses, etc,) working
on the front lines.
50 Department
of Education school nurses
in
Maryland
applauded HFI’s FDM techniques providing cutting edge information
and innovative ways to motivate students to avoid liver damaging activities.
Native
American Tribal Leaders called the Training “awesome” and
immediately saw a benefit to their efforts to prevent Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome and other devastating consequences related to alcohol abuse.
Students in five
Historically Black Universities will receive FDM training in a SAMHSA
initiative promoting “Peer Counseling” to prevent substance abuse
and binge drinking.
The Coalition to
Prevent Underage
Drinking
learned new techniques to add to their outreach initiatives.
Head Start
program in
Florida
received HFI’s Liv and Lucky
Coloring Books provided by the Hillsborough County Health
Department.
Participating
in promoting substance abuse recovery and in preventing liver damaging activities
depends on having the knowledge to understand why and how to protect
one's self from the devastating
consequences of use and abuse of drugs and exposure to
blood borne pathogens.
For
information about FDM Training contact
Candice
Abate at 1-800-891-0707
New Study Supports Effectiveness Of Liver Wellness Education
Impact on unhealthy behaviors highlights need for preventive education
A new scientific study provides an imaginative educational intervention
that has demonstrated success in having a significant impact on
preventing viral hepatitis and other blood borne diseases related to
participation in unhealthy behaviors. Results of a National Institute
on Drug Abuse supported multi-site, randomized-control trial called, The
Study to Reduce Intravenous Exposures (STRIVE), tested a
behavioral intervention among a high risk population of hepatitis C
infected injection drug users (IDUs) to identify new
approaches to prevention of hepatitis and other blood borne
pathogens. The intervention included messages about liver wellness and
viewing the Hepatitis Foundation International’s (HFI) video, The
Silent Stalker.
Read
More About it...
SPEAKING
OF YOUR LIVER, WHY NOT TAKE CARE OF IT?
--Keeping Your Body's Processor in Order
by Danny Jacobs of the Gazzette, Staff Writer
The informational coloring books feature ‘‘Liv” and
‘‘Lucky” doing things kids typically do, like eating, playing
and riding a bike. But Liv and Lucky are not children. They are
livers, and in 21 pages they teach children — and, in many cases,
adults — about the liver’s functions and how to care for it.
‘‘You have to keep it short, simple and appealing to keep
people’s attention,” said Thelma King Thiel, chairwoman and chief
executive officer of the Silver Spring-based Hepatitis Foundation
International, which created the coloring books. ‘‘If you want to
motivate people to change their behaviors, they’ve got to be able to
relate to it.”
Click
here for the full article...
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON CLINICAL RESEARCH NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH
News and Research on the Hepatitis Foundation International's
web site now hosting background information on clinical research in
Spanish. We appreciate the
efforts of CenterWatch to provide this information.
To see Clinical Research
Information in Spanish, click
here...
To see Clinical Research Information in English, click here...
SAMHSA GRANTEES
APPLAUD LIVER WELLNESS APPROACH
New techniques used in promoting liver wellness as an effective
approach in motivating individuals to adopt healthier lifestyle
behaviors received kudos from community outreach coordinators.
For more information...
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Ninety percent of the 38 attendees at the FDM training reported
learning new information about their liver and hepatitis. Seventy
percent were more concerned about their own
risk of liver damage and hepatitis after learning about modes of
transmission and potential for serious health consequences. Sixty
one percent thought they should be tested for hepatitis.
Attendees applauded the upbeat approach that provided basic
information using analogies, humor and memorable messages.
“Encouraging students to take responsibility for their own
health depends on having the knowledge to know how,” says Thelma
Thiel, CEO of HFI. “This program provides an opportunity to reach
young adults with new information to help them avoid the serious
consequences related to participation in unhealthy behaviors.”
Representatives from colleges in MD, DC, MS, NM, MT, GA, VI, and VA
included
Hispanic, Black and Native American students. Tonia Schaffer,
Program Director of the MEI initiative, was pleased with the
positive feedback she received and plans to expand the program with
HFI conducting its FDM training for the new group of peer educators
next fall.
Research Advances
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Your online purchases can benefit HFI at no cost to you!
TRAIN THE TRAINER
"Foundation for Decision Making"™
Liver Wellness and Prevention of Hepatitis and Drug Abuse.
Motivational communication techniques with proven success enhance
prevention and recovery programs.
Call:
HFI's Training Department at
1-800-891-0707.
View our Train
the Trainer Program outline here...
NNAC
National Nurses Advisory Council
Join Nurses (NNAC)
Around the Nation to fill gaps in patient care and prevention initiatives!
CONFUSED ABOUT LABORATORY TESTS? NNAC members have created this
quick and easy tool.
Download now for your copy.
TAKE ACTION!
Not satisfied with hepatitis services and information?
Tell your legislator what your hepatitis
needs are!
Hepatitis Foundation International
504 Blick Drive
Silver Spring, MD
20904-2901
USA
tel:
301-622-4200
800-891-0707
fax: 301-622-4702
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