The RVH Liver Support Group hosted their annual Member’s lunch at the Dunsilly Hotel Antrim on Sunday September 10th 2023. There were over 80 members having a great lunch and chat with many friends. A few pictures opposite capture the occasion on what was a beautiful day in so many ways.
Jim, Patricia and Arthur were in attendance at our very first coffee morning on August 7th in Cafe Cure beside Bangor Town Hall. The first event was very well attended with 25 patients and family members joining the Liver Support Group. Everyone agreed that is was a very beneficial way to meet others who were on the same journey. The RVH Liver Support Group will be planning more of these events soon right across N Ireland. Please keep an eye on our social media channels for future planned coffee events.
Friday, July 28th, was WORLD HEPATITIS DAY. The Public Health Agency (PHA) continues to remind us that anyone can be at risk of hepatitis, as latest statistics show that there were 122 new cases of hepatitis B cases and 191 new cases of hepatitis C diagnosed here in 2022.*
Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride said: “There are several different types of hepatitis. Some types will pass without any serious problems, while others can be more severe and long-lasting.
“The symptoms of hepatitis can often be vague, or not very noticeable which means there will people be living with the infection without realising it. If you think you may be at risk of infection from hepatitis then we would encourage you to get tested, or speak to your GP.”
Dr Gillian Armstrong, Public Health Consultant at the PHA said: “Hepatitis B tends to be transmitted from an infected mother to her baby or through contact with infected bodily fluids.
“In Northern Ireland, new infections with hepatitis B tend to be from sexual contact with an infected person.
“Hepatitis C is commonly associated with sharing needles or injecting equipment. It can also be spread by having a tattoo or body piercing done using non-sterile equipment.
“The good news is that there is a vaccine to help prevent hepatitis B, and treatment for hepatitis C is now very effective.
“Therefore, we are encouraging people to come forward for testing if they think they could be at risk, for example if they have had a tattoo or piercing where there are concerns about the hygiene standards of the practice, if they have received medical or dental treatment abroad where equipment has not been sterilised properly or if they have ever injected drugs, even if this was only once or some time ago.
Hepatitis comes in various forms, but the most serious are hepatitis B and C both of which can cause chronic liver damage and cirrhosis.
Hepatitis A and E can be transmitted through contaminated food and water but tend to be self limiting infections for most individuals.
“The theme for World Hepatitis Day in 2023 is ‘We’re not waiting’,” said Dr Neil McDougall, Consultant Hepatologist in the Regional Liver Unit, Belfast Trust.
“Our target is to eliminate Hepatitis C as a public health concern in Northern Ireland by 2025.
“We now have fantastic tablet based treatments for hepatitis C with minimal side effects and a cure rate of nearly 100%. But we can only achieve our target if we identify people with hepatitis C and offer them effective treatment.”
Susan Semple, Consultant Nurse at Belfast Inclusion Health Service said: “We are not waiting. It’s time to get ahead – test, treat and cure and work together to eliminate viral hepatitis.
“We want to offer the chance to get tested to anyone who may be at risk of having hepatitis B or C.”
Hepatitis B is most commonly transmitted through blood-to-blood contact following sexual intercourse, injury with contaminated sharp instruments or other equipment by intravenous drug misusers, or by perinatal transmission from mother to child.
The Hepatitis C virus is usually transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. Some examples of ways blood can be transferred include sharing razors and toothbrushes or sharing unsterilized needles – for example while injecting drugs. Sexual transmission and transmission from mother to child do occur, but this is less frequent than in hepatitis B cases.
Dr Armstrong concluded: “We hope as many people a possible will avail of this opportunity to get tested and help us work towards eliminating hepatitis. It is also important to know about how to avoid becoming infected. This includes practising safer sex, avoiding getting tattoos abroad and not sharing needles or injecting equipment. Clean injecting equipment can be obtained from various needle exchange sites across Northern Ireland to reduce the risk from these infections.”
Hepatitis instances
Hepatitis B in NI in 2022: 121 cases, 22% increase on 2021.
Hepatitis C in NI in 2022: 191 cases, 19% decrease on 2021.
RVH Liver Support Group members have joined the British Transplant Games in Coventry this weekend. L-R is Dylan Caughey, Rachel Chambers, Sharon Millen (Committee Member) and Jim Kilpatrick (Chairman). We wish them all every success in the games.
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Arthur is the vice chairman of the RVH Liver Support Group, an avid Audi petrolhead and an active member of the NIAOC. Recently, he was honoured to be involved with the putting together of the NI Audi Owners Club yearly big run which is going to Enniskillen this year. The Club was founded by Marc and Nicky Edgar several years ago and they are among its many admins. And this is because it now has over 1400 members throughout NI who are very active helping one another on their FB page.
This years big Audi run will be taking place on this incoming Saturday, July 8th starting off from Sprucefield car park at around 08:30 hrs and heading to Edfield cafe in Fivemiletown for breakfast after which the convoy will drive to Castlecoole, a National Trust property in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh and will remain there for several hours. Later in the day the convoy will then head to the beautiful Navar viewpoint where one can see the Belleek shore road, the River Erne and indeed Bundoran and the Atlantic Ocean!!
The year NIAOC offered to help raise awareness of our charity by including us on their event. A big shout out goes to Nicky, Marc and Andy for putting so much effort into the organising of the Audi run and the raffle on the day. And the RVH Liver Support Group would like to thank them most sincerely for taking the time out to make this run a great success. We are all aware of how time consuming it is to organise and set up events such as this.
If you happen to be in Enniskillen on July 8th please feel free to call in to see the cars at Castlecoole between 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm.
A Just Giving page has also been set up for any Audi members who cannot to attend but may wish to contribute to the Liver Support Group. The link to the page is below and there is a little story there detailing what the charity does for the community.
At the recent Volunteer Recognition event held at Crumlin Road Gaol Kay Duffy, Founder of the Liver Support Group, was presented with a special certificate in recognition of 25 years of service to the Belfast Trust as a hospital volunteer. Jim Kilpatrick, Group Chairman and Arthur Goan, Vice Chairman, were also recognised at the event for their contribution .
The help desk is now back in 6B in a limited format to start with . Our desk is smaller now as the space is mostly used for patients waiting for their appointment. But we appreciate being given the opportunity again to meet with new and existing liver patients. Either Kay, Jim or Arthur will be in attendance on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 09:00 hrs to 14:00 hrs approx. Please come over and say hello; we will love to have a chat!!
The law on organ donation has now officially changed. Since June 1st, we are all automatically “opted in” for organ donations when we pass away. It is crucially important, however, that you still have that “wee chat” with your next of kin to ensure they understand your wishes if you wish to remain opted in and donate. You can still choose to opt out with organdonation NI should you wish to.