San Francisco Has the Highest Rate of Liver Cancer in the U.S.
1 in 10 Asian Americans Is Infected by Hepatitis B, the Leading Cause of Liver Cancer California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma Takes Personal Fight Against Hepatitis B National
SAN FRANCISCO, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent data released from
the National Cancer Institute confirms that San Francisco has the
highest rate of liver cancer in the nation. The leading cause of
liver cancer is hepatitis B.
May 2010 marks the 15th Anniversary of National Hepatitis B
Awareness Month. The San Francisco Hep B Free initiative is
launching "Which One Deserves To Die?" a provocative ad campaign
alerting the Asian American community that 1 in 10 Asian Americans
is chronically infected with hepatitis B compared to 1 in 1,000 in
the general population.
San Francisco Hep B Free is a unique collaboration of over 50
private and public organizations, including the Asian Liver Center
at Stanford University and Brown & Toland Physicians, whose
common goal is to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis
B-free city in the nation. Since its inception, San Francisco Hep B
Free has tested thousands of people for hepatitis B. The campaign's
success rate has inspired other cities and counties to follow its
model, including Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Clara, Alameda,
Long Beach, San Mateo, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.
Championing the fight against hepatitis B is California
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-SF), who along with members of her family
has chronic hepatitis B. Her health crisis propelled her to take
action with San Francisco Hep B Free and raise public awareness on
the impact of the deadly virus. Since joining the campaign,
Assemblywoman Ma helped launch a groundbreaking screening and
vaccination initiative in San Francisco. She is working on a state
bill calling for preventative hepatitis B care and vaccination. "As
a Chinese-American, I have been the legislature's leading advocate
to eliminate hepatitis B. The cause has special meaning to me
because I live with chronic hepatitis B, a disease that affects 2
million Americans," said Assemblywoman Ma.
Hepatitis B Disease Background (source: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention)
-- Worldwide, 350 to 400 million people have hepatitis B. Many do not
know they are infected. Hepatitis B silently attacks the liver and is
the leading cause of liver cancer, one of the most lethal, expensive
and fastest growing cancers in America.
-- There are over 43,000 new hepatitis B cases in the U.S. each year,
with the greatest incidence among adults between ages 19-49 years old.
-- Hepatitis B is one of the leading health disparities between Asians
and non-Hispanic whites.
-- Among the Asian population the predominant mode of transmission is
from infected mother to child during birth. Hepatitis B can also be
spread through unprotected sex and shared needles.
-- There is a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection from
hepatitis B.
About San Francisco Hep B Free
San Francisco Hep B Free is a first-of-its-kind collaboration
between city government, private healthcare community organizations
and businesses. The campaign's goal is to make San Francisco
hepatitis B-free by (1) creating public and healthcare provider
awareness about the importance of testing & vaccinating Asian
and Pacific Islanders for hepatitis B; (2) promoting routine
hepatitis B screenings and vaccinations within the primary care
medical community; and (3) facilitating access to treatment for
chronically infected individuals. For more information, please go
to www.sfhepbfree.org.
Source: San Francisco Hep B Free
CONTACT: Grace Niwa of Niwa Public Relations,
+1-617-299-9848,
grace@niwapr.com, for San Francisco
Hep B Free
Web Site: http://www.sfhepbfree.org/
Posted: May 2010
