When winter approaches, a peak point for many diseases and viruses, the need to get vaccinated is crucially important to improving the health status of people, especially when it comes to getting the hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination. In fact, spreading awareness about HBV has been an important mission for the Asian Liver Center founded in 1996. It is the first nonprofit in the United States that addresses the high incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians.
Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable liver disease that is the leading cause of liver cancer worldwide. It is transmitted through three ways: birth, blood, and intercourse. Symptoms of this disease during the initial infection, also called the acute infection, are inconspicuous. However, there are blood tests and vaccinations for HBV to help people protect themselves and others.
Dr. Samuel So, Executive Director at Asian Liver Center, said in a HepVu interview in 2021, “Chronic Hepatitis B is highly endemic in Asia and the Pacific Islands. For instance, in Vietnam and China, about 1 in 8 to 1 in 12 adults have chronic Hepatitis B infection.”
Over the past years, the Asian Liver Center, the first nonprofit in the United States that addresses the high incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians, has been working towards eliminating HBV by a variety of projects, especially through a mission of “CARE.” It “stands for building collaboration, advocacy, research, and education to address the gaps in Hepatitis B awareness, research, national guidelines, and policies with the goal of eliminating Hepatitis B…”, as mentioned in a 2021 HepVu Interview.
For example, they have been raising awareness through branding in many areas including but not limited to cities locally. So mentioned in a 2021 HepVu interview, “In 2000, we launched the jade ribbon campaign, a culturally and linguistically targeted initiative to provide print and multimedia public service announcements, bus ads, community free screenings, educational pamphlets, etc. to raise Hepatitis B awareness and increase knowledge in the San Francisco Bay Area and in California more generally.”
On top of their uplifting programs and works, they have received a variety of awards and recognitions internationally, including the CDC and ATSDR Honor Award Excellence in Partnering in 2010 and the National Leadership Award to Dr. Samuel So during the second Annual Asian American Health Conference in 2005.
“Everyone recognizes the seriousness of cancer, but many people still are not aware that a major cause of liver cancer is related to untreated chronic Hepatitis B or C infection,” Dr. So mentions. “and you can be infected with Hepatitis B and C without having any symptoms.”
