masthead
Issue # 70

November 2013

In This Issue
Support Groups
A Silpada Event
Visitors from Japan
Hep C Connection Hosts Visitors from Japan
Supplement Warning
Articles of Interest
Desserts & Delights Photos
Desserts & Delights Sponsors
Featured Clinical Trials
Quick Links

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Colorado Hepatitis C Support Groups

 

For individuals infected with hepatitis C and family members affected by hepatitis C.  Free and confidential monthly meetings.  New members always welcome.

 

Metro-Denver

 

 
Downtown Denver
temporarily on hold


Englewood
Englewood Library
1000 Englewood Pkwy.
Last Tuesday
6:30 - 8 pm

Beverly: (720) 231-2264

  
Lakewood
Shepherd of the Hills Church
11500 W. 20th
2nd Wednesday
6:30 - 8 pm
Betsy: (303) 940-4901
    

 

Statewide

Boulder

YWCA
2222 14th St.
Main Floor Mtg. Rm.
2nd Wednesday
6 - 7:30 pm
Debbie: (303) 817-4938

 

Fort Collins
Poudre Valley Health Systems
2121 E. Harmony
3rd Floor
Last Wednesday
6:30 - 8 pm
Jerry: (970) 214-2912

Colorado Springs

3210 E. Woodmen Rd. Suite 110 

3rd Tuesday
6 - 7:30 pm
Abby: (719) 761-3710

Pueblo
Parkview Medical Center, 2-East Conference Room
400 West 16th St.
3rd Thursday
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Abby: (719) 761-3710

 

For information regarding support groups in other states, please call our HelpLine at 800-522-HEPC (4372) 

 Dear Friend,


  Welcome to the November 2013 edition of
Connections
                              

You're Invited to Hep C Connection's Silpada Party!

 

A Hep C Connection Silpada party is just around the corner!

Hep C Connection Board Member Andrea Herman invites you to help her raise money for Hep C Connection and hang out with a bunch of great people for brunch on Sunday, November 17, 2013.  Your purchase will help support education to the public and assist in providing resources to those affected by Hepatitis C.  Joni Pfeffer is the local sales rep we're working with, and she's donating her commission to Hep C Connection in memory of her late husband, Eugene Strauber, who passed away in 2008 from hepatitis C. 

 

Where:

Aurora, CO (exact address to be given at time of RSVP)

 

When:

Sunday, November 17 at 11:00 am

 

Please RSVP to Nancy Steinfurth at [email protected]

 

Can't make it to the party but still want to support Hep C Connection through a purchase?

Here are the online instructions:

-Visit www.mysilpada.com/Joni.pfeffer

-Click on "Shop Silpada Catalogue"

-Select your items

-Select Check out

-View Hostess List

-Select "Hep C Connection Fundraiser in Memory of Eugene Strauber"

-Continue to check out

 International Rally for Liver Disease Awareness

 

You are invited to join the first International Rally for Liver Disease Awareness that is scheduled to take place on November 1, 2013 from 11 am to 1 pm in Washington, DC.  The goals of the Rally are to increase public attention to the growing worldwide burden of liver disease, and to create a global community of stakeholders that will accelerate progress in liver disease prevention, early detection, treatment and research.  The confirmed speakers are:
  • Howard Koh, MD, MPH, Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS
  • Thelma Thiel, Founder & Chair, Hepatitis Foundation International
  • Kathleen Schwarz, MD, Director, Pediatric Liver Center, Johns Hopkins; President, International Societies of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
  • Martha Saly, Executive Director, National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
  • Ricky Safer, Founder, PSC Partners Seeking a Cure
  • Donna Cryer, JD, Patient Advocate, Liver Transplant Recipient
  • Melanie Thomas, MD, President, CanLiv

Can't make it to the event but want to attend?  Click here to join online via LiveStream.

 

Please visit the International Rally for Liver Disease Awareness website for additional information about the event and to learn about how you can participate.

Hep C Connection Hosts Visitors From Japan

 

From a special commission created by the federal government of Japan to study discrimination of patients because of their hepatitis, Hep C Connection recently hosted two visitors . Denver was their study's fourth location and the only U.S. city that they visited. While here, they met with patients, physicians, staff members of SAMSHA, HHS, and CDPHE throughout the week to get first-hand information about discrimination. They'll now combine the research that they did in Denver with the research from the other countries to write a report.

Dietary Supplement Warning

Dietary Supplement Linked to Hepatitis, Liver Failure

10/23/2013 / News Desk

The dietary supplement OxyELITEPro has been associated with acute hepatitis and sudden liver failure.  Most of the cases have occurred in Hawaii, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating across the nation for cases and the manufacturer of OxyELITEPro has pulled the supplement from the market.  Patients with hepatitis C should always consult with a physician before taking any type of supplement, vitamin, over-the-counter or prescription medication.

Full Article 

Articles of Interest

FDA Panel Backs Gilead Hepatitis C Drug Sofosbuvir

10/25/2013 /Toni Clark / Reuters

On December 8, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is due to announce its decision on the approval of Sofosbuvir, an oral medication for treatment of a hepatitis C infection.  A federal advisory panel recently voted 15 to 0 for approval of Sofosbuvir.  It would be taken with ribavirin by patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 2 or 3 or taken with ribavirin and interferon by patients with genotype 1 or 4.  Many more patients will be eligible for treatment for their HCV infection if the FDA approves Sofosbuvir in December.

Full Article 

 

FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Approval of Simeprevir for Combination Treatment of Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C in Adult Patients

10/24/2013 /  PR Newswire

Simeprevir, an oral medication for HCV genotype 1 infection developed by Janssen Research & Development, LLC is currently designated as "priority review" on the FDA's list of medications for review for approval and a decision is scheduled to be made in May, 2014. In October of this year, a federal advisory panel voted 19 to 0 for approval of Simeprevir. The FDA doesn't have to follow the panel's recommendation, but if approved, patients with a hepatitis C genotype 1 infection and a compensated liver will have an additional treatment option.

Full Article 

Desserts & Delights - Along the Yellow Brick Road

Hep C Connection's annual fundraising event was held on Friday, October 18, 2013.  The virtues of caring, courage, and intelligence when dealing with hepatitis C were celebrated while guests had fun raising money for Hep C Connection's programs and services through bidding on silent and live auction items, enjoying delicious desserts and mingling with other guests.  The following outgoing board members were recognized during the event for all of the hard work and dedication that they've generously volunteered to Hep C Connection over the past 3 years - Scott Cissna, Vanessa Fenley, Scott Meiklejohn, Hanna Weston and Brian Wilkerson.  Here are some pictures from the event -

 

 

Throughout the evening guests enjoyed mingling with other guests, bidding on silent and live auction items, taking photos at the TapSnap photo kiosk, entertainment by DJ Gerry Stephenson, and delicious appetizers and desserts!

 

Event sponsors having fun at the photo kiosk!
 
Erlen Marsh busy bidding on auction items!
These ladies created a very exciting bidding war during the live auction!
  
  

 

Nancy Steinfurth, Urva Hannegan, Sarah Macrander, Emmylou Babcock, and Sascha Larsen-Helbing pose for one last picture as the fun evening comes to an end!

 

Thank you Desserts & Delights Sponsors!

Hep C Connection would like to thank the following sponsors for their kind generosity in sponsoring Desserts & Delights - Along the Yellow Brick Road!

 

Lion Sponsors

  

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Tin Man Sponsors

 

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Scarecrow Sponsors

 

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Featured HCV Clinical Trials

To find clinical trials in your city, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov or call us at 1-800-522-HEPC and we can walk you through the website.

 

If you are in the metro-Denver area, 

 

South Denver Gastroenterology, PC is currently enrolling patients for a 16-24 week clinical trial of all oral medication or 12 weeks of oral medication plus interferon.  There is only a 30% chance of receiving the interferon and it is a very short treatment duration. They are seeking the following patients for this study -

  • Patients with HCV genotype 2 that have gone through treatment and have cirrhosis.
  • Patients with HCV genotype 3 that have or do not have cirrhosis and have never gone through treatment or that have gone through treatment.

 

They are also recruiting patients with cirrhosis, any genotype and  patients with hepatic encephalopathy.  Please call Sherry Rogers at 303-406-4139 or Kelley Braun at 303-406-4288 if you are interested in enrolling in any of the above studies.

 

University of Colorado Hospital invites you to call Michael Cookson at (303) 724-1876 if you are interested in participating in a clinical trial at the Hospital.