The month of May is Hepatitis Awareness Month in the United States & May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day. During May, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and its public health partners work to shed light on this hidden epidemic by raising awareness of viral hepatitis and encouraging priority populations to get tested.
Millions of Americans have viral hepatitis and an estimated 72,000 become infected each year. When a person first gets viral hepatitis, the illness may be very mild illness with few or no symptoms. Hepatitis C can progress to a “chronic” or lifelong infection, which can cause serious health problems including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death if left untreated.
SAAF’s Hepatitis C Testing and Linkage to Care (Hep TLC) program provides education, risk reduction techniques, free Hepatitis C testing, and referrals to free medical treatment for positive clients. If you have ever shared syringes or works, had a tattoo in unsanitary conditions, or had sex or shared utensils with someone who is known to be Hepatitis C positive-please contact us to schedule your free test.
During National Hepatitis Awareness Month, SAAF will offer free testing on site every Wednesday from 10:00am-3:00pm and on Monday May 19 from 8:00am-8:00pm.
For more information on the Hep TLC program and/or to set-up an appointment, please contact:
Zami– (520) 547-6194 or zhyemingway@saaf.org
Meg- (520) 547-6111 or mvance@saaf.org
T- (520) 547-6118 or tloving@saaf.org