Annual General Meeting

Members of Hepatitis NSW are invited to attend the Audrey Lamb Community Forum and Hepatitis NSW Annual General Meeting on Thursday 28 November. The event will include the annual Audrey Lamb Oration and the announcement of the Cheryl Burman Award recipient.
If you live in NSW and would like to become a community member of Hepatitis NSW you can apply here. Membership is free for individuals – just click on the $0 button! We have memberships to suit individuals, professionals and organisations with great benefits. Plus, you’ll join the largest community of people in NSW working towards a world free of viral hepatitis!

Please phone our office if you have membership-related questions on 02 9332 1853.

Changes to Hepatitis B and Migration Law

Changes to Australia’s migration laws have made it easier for people living with chronic hepatitis B to become permanent residents. Key updates include adjustments to the ‘significant cost threshold,’ with health costs now assessed over 10 years instead of a lifetime, plus a decrease in the cost of hepatitis B medication.

While these changes are positive, finding up-to-date information on migration law can be challenging due to frequent updates. Health+Law is working on updating resources to ensure clear and current guidance is available for those affected by these changes.

Most recently, ASHM’s Hepatitis B and Immigration resource, which outlines how clinicians can support patients living with hepatitis B applying for a permanent visa, has been updated in line with the new changes. Our thanks to Hepatitis Queensland for permission to reproduce this article.

Hep B Multicultural Team

The Multicultural Team had an incredibly busy August! We’ve been out and about holding a stall at the Hello Doctor Health Expo, teaching TAFE English students about the basics of the Australian healthcare system.

On August 20th we visited Lidcombe TAFE, and on August 28th we were at Padstow TAFE talking to attendees about hepatitis B. While most people have heard of it, many don’t know much about how it’s transmitted, prevented or monitored; that there is a vaccine and that, if required, with treatment people with hep B can live a long and healthy life.

One stallholder mentioned that it was the first time they’d even seen a stall dedicated to hepatitis B! It really highlighted the need to raise more awareness about this virus, which is a major global disease concern.

We’re very grateful to have our student placements, Shein and Zhenzhu from The University of Sydney, working with us – they’ve been a huge help!

Bathurst Blitz

Pippa and JD from the Hepatitis NSW Team joined Justice Health NSW, and NUAA peer workers at Bathurst Correctional Centre for a week-long health promotion campaign. The format was an interactive 10-minute presentation about liver health, hep C and B testing and treatment, and risk reduction.

“We make the educational sessions concise and interactive to get people engaged and curious, which prompts questions about hep C and hep B because people like to know the difference and know that they’re getting care for both.” said Pippa.

The educational session was followed up with an intake of volunteers for hep C testing with the Justice Health team. Antibody testing with reflexive RNA through the Kirby Institute’s National POC Program was conducted. Anyone who tested positive was called up for an appointment either that day or the following day to have their full hep C workups, including Fibroscan, and then onto an 8 or 12-week treatment plan.

The team are really developing a relationship of trust and gave everyone they saw Hepatitis Infoline contact details to encourage ongoing education and ultimately more voluntary testing.

Getting NSW Hepatitis Services on the Map

The Hepatitis NSW Local Service Directory provides linkage to care for people in NSW seeking hepatitis related support services where they need it the most. Step 1, go to hep.org.au.

Are you a hepatitis related service?

Would you like to list your service in our Service Directory?
We’ll get you on the map! Simply complete this 5 minute Form  
or contact us on 1800 803 990 or email [email protected].

Nominations Open for The Cheryl Burman Award 2024

The Award pays tribute to Cheryl Burman, who provided exceptional leadership in the NSW viral hepatitis response.
Cheryl served on the Board of the Hepatitis C Council of NSW from 1993 to 2000, and as our President from 1995 to 1999. Cheryl made significant contributions to the governance and leadership of our organisation for almost seven years and continued to remain friends with, and a supporter of, Hepatitis NSW. Sadly, Cheryl passed away on 9 August 2011 after her very long struggle with hep C. This Award is named to honour Cheryl’s memory.

Hepatitis NSW’s Cheryl Burman Award is an annual award – now in its twelfth year – given to a person or group who have done outstanding work in NSW in the fight against viral hepatitis. This could be in the advancement of treatment, support, information provision, prevention or management for people living with viral hepatitis. Know someone who deserves to receive the Award? Please consider nominating them!

How do you nominate someone?
Please read the Cheryl Burman Award Process & Guidelines, then complete the Nomination Form. You can do this online, or download it in Word and scan and email it back to us.

WORD DOC Cheryl Burman Award nomination form >>
ONLINE Cheryl Burman Award nomination form >>

For further information, please call our office on 02 9332 1853 or email [email protected] (please type CBA in the subject header of your email).

The closing date for nominations is 5pm Monday, 23 September 2024.
This year’s award will be presented at our Audrey Lamb Community Forum, alongside our AGM on Thursday 28 November 2024.

Learn more about our previous exceptional winners and their work by clicking here.

Zhenzhu, Student Intern on the Career Highway

Hi, everyone! My name is Zhenzhu. I’m from Shanghai, China, and I’ve been living and studying in Sydney for two years. I’m very interested in health management and promotion (especially chronic disease-related aspects). I studied Health Science for my Bachelor’s degree and Public Health for my Master’s degree. I chose practice placement for my last semester at the University of Sydney and joined the Hepatitis NSW team. Working at Hepatitis NSW is my first job in my life. My career goal is very simple, helping people to manage their health, which is what I’m doing now. It is my great honour and a joy to work with colleagues who are so caring and respectful.

Besides working and studying, my life is very colourful. I love motorbiking and powerlifting. I’m very extroverted and hate staying at home. My nickname is “Ms. Always on, do-not-disturb”. I’m always riding, exercising and keeping my phone on do-not-disturb. I love all kinds of food but I’m much more into Asian cuisine. Nice meeting all of you in the hepatitis sector, I believe this is the perfect experience to start my career.

Tx! MAG Mail Out Shout Out

A big thank you to our wonderful volunteers, Daniel, Clare, Lijo and Janice who did such an extraordinary job of printing, peeling, labelling, packing, stacking and posting this month’s Tx! MAG #44 mail out of 12,657 magazines.
Hope you enjoy Tx! MAG #44!
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