HEP Hero Lucy Mcdonald

July 30, 2018

Lucy Mcdonald

Hepatology Clinical Nurse Consultant

“Everyone is worth the chance of becoming hepatitis C free.”

I’m a nurse working at St Vincent’s in Melbourne. I started here in 2011 as an “interferon nurse” as we were known back then! I’m now working with a great team running the hepatitis assessment and treatment program in Victorian prisons.

I was employed in 2011, as part of the 12 new nurse positions funded by the DoH to increase hepatitis C treatment by increasing awareness and access in the community. Primarily taking treatment away from the hospital /specialist model to community clinics and GP support.

It was difficult to encourage treatment with it’s debilitating side effects and poor cure results. Being part of the journey of treatment advances has been amazing to watch. My role has changed so dramatically.

Lucy’s message to others:

It doesn’t matter who you are; It doesn’t matter how you got hepatitis C; no one deserves to live with a potentially life threatening disease when today’s treatments offer a cure.

LiverWELL acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.

We welcome people from all cultures, nationalities and religions. Being inclusive and providing equitable services is our commitment.

ABN 48 656 812 701

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands where we work - the lands of the Woi-Wurrung Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations. We express our gratitude to them for their continued care and curation of these lands and waters. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

LiverWELL observes and honours the Kulin Nation's intrinsic connection to land, sky and water, and the creator Bunjil. LiverWELL is committed to being led and informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on bridging health outcomes for communities and improving liver health.

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HEP Hero Lucy Mcdonald

Lucy’s message to others:

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