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Tips for staying healthy and happy these holidays

The Christmas holiday season can be a tough time for some people; stress and loneliness are common feelings, particularly for those who are already battling mental or physical health issues. But rest assured there are ways to minimise negative feelings.Routine, routine, routineIt’s tempting to abandon our usual routines when we’re on holiday. But maintaining healthy habits – eating well, being active, getting plenty of sleep and making time for things that make you feel good will help you ...

Rule change for some potential blood donors

The blood deferral period for men who have had sex with other men has been reduced from 12 months to just three, reports the NZ Herald.Sex workers and those who have lived in a country with widespread HIV infection have also had their deferral periods reduced to three months.The New Zealand Blood Service says the changes are in line with other countries such as the UK, Canada, and the US.Auckland Pride director Max Tweedie says the changes are long overdue. ...

There should be universal testing

I grew up between Connecticut and New York City. I spent a lot of my childhood in hospital because I had a hip problem. Over the years, I had many hip surgeries and blood transfusions.I believe it was from one of those blood transfusions that I got hepatitis C.I found out I had the virus when my mother was having a knee replacement and a friend and I went to give blood. About two weeks later, I got a letter in the mail saying they needed to see me at the hospital.We knew nothing about hepat...

How to love your liver this holiday season

We all know over-indulging on culinary delights is a big part of Christmas. It’s a social time of year and getting together, for more people, centres around the dining table. But all that extra eating and drinking means your liver has to work extra-hard to process food and drink and clean toxins from the blood. This can lead to serious health issues. So how can you keep your liver fighting fit throughout the holiday season? Drink in modera...

What do Privacy Act changes mean for liver healthcare?

Changes to New Zealand’s Privacy Act came into force on December 1, 2020. As a healthcare provider, patient privacy is very important to us and everyone registered with us can rest assured we will adhere to these changes without exception.  The changes mean:If you’re enrolled with us, we will only collect information relevant to you and your hepatitis B or relevant liver health. We won’t gather any information that’s not related to management of your hepatitis We...

New trial for people taking antivirals

P3 Research is running a new hepatitis B clinical trial in Tauranga, the Hawke's Bay, Wellington and Waikanae for people already taking antiviral medications. Volunteers are being sought for this trial. P3 Research is one of many pharmaceutical companies working on a cure for hepatitis B. The process includes clinical trials, which give patients a chance to get involved with developing a cure. New Zealand is supporting the World Health Organisation's goal of elimina...

So you've registered with us. What happens now?

Once you’ve registered with the foundation, you’ll receive a package from us that will include:•    A consent form for you to sign and return. This asks you to give us permission to collect and store your health information for the purposes of assessment and care. It also asks for your consent for us to work with your GP/specialist to provide ongoing support, monitoring and clinical follow-up•    A letter confirming your blood test results or a blood test fo...

New additions to foundation team

Dr Dara de las Heras, a Waikato gastroenterologist, and nurse practitioner intern Nicola Caine have joined our team, to enhance our patient care services. Nicola also works for Bay of Plenty District Health Board as a hepatitis C and HIV nurse.This week we also welcome to Remya Raju, our newest administration staff member. She'll be helping with patient calls and supporting our team of nurses and is based in Whakatane. ...

Zoom enables better patient-nurse communication

Our patients now have even more ways to engage with us, with our liver health nurses able to offer virtual consultations via Zoom. Appointments will be sent to patient email addresses; patients can join the appointment by clicking on the link in the email at the scheduled time and don't need to download any programmes.This makes liver health care and support even more accessible, as patients won’t have to travel to nurse appointments and can discuss their condition in the comfort and...

Fijian festival great chance for engagement

A festival in Te Puke to celebrate Fiji's 50 years of independence last weekend was a good opportunity to mingle with cultural communities and raise awareness of liver health issues.Hepatitis community nurse Helen Purcell attended with Pacific Island Community Tauranga Trust representatives and says it was a wonderful day with plenty of people keen to learn more about liver health and, specifically, hepatitis B.The trust is a Pacific Island Health Service based in Tauranga that support...

Scholarship pays off for nursing student

Eastern Bay of Plenty nurse Maria Mitchell was debt-free when she finished her degree, thanks to one of our scholarships. Maria, an ICU nurse at Whakatane Hospital, received funding to help with her study costs throughout her three-year degree. In return, she was expected to submit progress updates every six months and provide evidence she has passed each year.“I applied for this scholarship as I met the criteria and was going into a nursing degree, which costs a lot of money,�...

Hepatitis issues highlighted in NZ Medical Journal article

The issues surrounding diagnosis of hepatitis B – and the risks the virus poses to New Zealanders – are highlighted in an NZ Medical Journal article published on July 31. The article, written by Professor Ed Gane, Auckland Liver Health Unit deputy director and Hepatitis Foundation of NZ (HFNZ) board member, as well as HFNZ staff, is based on data largely sourced from the foundation and will help target ...

Positive figures show rise in hepatitis awareness

People with hepatitis B need regular monitoring, and new data shows awareness of this is on the rise. The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand supports people living with hepatitis and educates them on the need for six-monthly blood tests. Our latest figures show the message is getting through: in July 2019 we received 398 blood test results. From July 1-21 this year that number had increased to 864. The total number of bl...

Cured of hepatitis C

Some people said he was lucky to be alive. Now Damo is free from hepatitis C. He has shared his story to help raise awareness of hepatitis and the importance of being treated.Video courtesy of AbbVie....

New clinical trial for chronic hepatitis B

There is a lot of research going on around the world to find a medication that will cure hepatitis B by eliminating the virus from the liver. Many people with chronic hepatitis B will be on medication such as entecavir and tenofovir, which, although effective at reducing viral replication, can't cure the disease and must be taken long-term. Something more is needed.P3 Research in Wellington, Tauranga, Hawke’s Bay and Waikanae is undertaking a new study for people already ta...

Morning tea competition helps educate GPs

GPs around New Zealand are encouraged to get involved in a competition ahead of World Hepatitis Day in July. The Hepatitis Foundation of NZ is giving away a morning tea to the GP clinic with the most creative hepatitis display board. Entries are welcomed from around the country. GP clinic teams simply need to create a hepatitis display and send photos of their efforts to hepteam@hfnz.nz by July 24.The morning tea competition has run for the past several years with great results, a...

Patient engagement boosted during lockdown

COVID-19 has disrupted New Zealand but it has a bright side: people with liver health issues have benefited through plenty of engagement with our nurses. Our community hepatitis nurses, spread around the North Island, work regularly with patients to ensure they have the support and treatment they need. Sometimes self-care isn’t a priority for patients due to lifestyle demands, but during the level four lockdown most had time to change their focus and work towards being as healthy as possi...

Hepatitis B and COVID-19

Most people with hepatitis B aren't at increased risk of serious disease should they contract COVID-19.However people who have been diagnosed with advanced liver disease (including cirrhosis) or who have other conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are at increased risk of serious illness if they get COVID-19. These people should be extra-vigilant in protecting themselves against the virus. People living with hepatitis B who are on treatment should not change o...

Changes to board of trustees

The Hepatitis Foundation has received notification of Chris Cunningham’s resignation from its board of trustees. With the Covid-19 pandemic reaching our shores, Chris has a large number of calls on his time, including his work in Māori and indigenous health and the well-being of his students and staff, as they remain at especially high risk in the current circumstances. The board fully accepts the need for Chris to prioritise his time and skills during this unprecedented event. The ...

Hepatitis road shows on hold

The hepatitis road shows planned for various locations around the North Island from next month have been postponed due to COVID-19.   The shows aimed to raise awareness of hepatitis and educate health professionals on how to treat people with the virus and were due to start in April. New dates will be advised as soon as possible."While the postponement is disappointing, we are following government advice and regulations," Hepatitis Foundation CEO Susan Hay says. "The safety of all...

New chair for Hepatitis Foundation

A new chair has been appointed to the Hepatitis Foundation of NZ. William Rainger was voted in as chair on January 20. He’s currently the Auckland Public Health Service medical officer of health and has a strong background in governance, strategic leadership and operational management for organisations. He has more than 20 years’ experience in health services management. “The board is very excited to welcome William as chair. He brings extensive health care experience and has a...

How to look after your liver

Looking after your liver simply means living a healthy lifestyle.Minimise alcohol intake. It can damage liver cells and lead to swelling or scarring, which can in turn lead to cirrhosis. Guidelines say men should drink no more than two drinks a day and women only one. Having two alcohol-free days a week is recommended.Eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise. This will help you keep your weight under control, which helps prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition that can also lea...

Chinese focus for liver health nurses

New Zealand’s Chinese communities are among the highest risk groups for hepatitis B. That’s why the Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand will be increasing efforts to engage with them in 2020.These engagement initiatives include next month’s Chinese New Year festival in Auckland. Two of the organisation’s community nurses will be attending the festival to raise awareness of hepatitis B. The hepatitis B virus is highly contagious and spreads from person to person through bodily fluids...

Review launched into Charities Services report

The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand (HFNZ) has engaged KPMG to investigate two potential issues about expenses raised by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) in 2015. DIA’s Charities Services investigated four issues and, while it found there was no serious wrongdoing on two of the issues, it appears inconclusive on two other issues. It set out expectations on matters for HFNZ to continue to improve. The foundation’s CEO, Susan Hay, says the organisation is very conscious o...

Plenty of highlights in 2019 for Hepatitis Foundation

The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand looks back on a successful year as the end of 2019 approaches. As part of its work to raise awareness of and educate people about hepatitis, the Whakatane-based organisation partnered with video production company BullsEye Productions to develop and launch online education videos aimed at helping healthcare professionals stay informed and keep up with best practice developments. The videos feature on this website and our social media c...