I am a mother of two teenage boys. In the late 1990s I was diagnosed with hepatitis B, from a result of a blood test. Both my sons had been vaccinated when they were born.
I have been involved with LiverWELL since 2017 and feel the need to do more. As a public speaker and hearing stories from other HEPSpeakers, I felt sad that they have to go through stigma which they shouldn’t have to.
It started out a smooth journey for me, but I too have experienced stigma.
There is a great need to educate the general public by sharing our lived-experience stories so that people in the community have a better understanding of what hepatitis is. How it can be treated, and how they can help by getting involved.
Mei’s message to others…
Love yourself enough to care for your liver health, be strong, reach out for help from your GP and resources like LiverWELL and other hepatitis organisations; and get tested through a simple blood test.
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.