Helen Tyrrell Love Your Liver Interview

Helen Tyrrell Love Your Liver Interview

Despite six million Australians living with liver disease, around nine-in-ten Australians are blissfully unaware of the damage they may be doing to their long-term liver health.

This is according to a nationwide poll conducted as part of the -Love Your Liver' campaign by Hepatitis Australia which found 86 per cent of Australians believe they are at low-risk of developing liver disease.

'This perception is far from reality. Most people recognise that excessive alcohol use can lead to liver disease, but non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and viral hepatitis fly well below the radar for most Australians despite being by far the biggest contributors to liver damage and ultimately liver cancer," said Helen Tyrrell, CEO of Hepatitis Australia.

'Alcohol related liver disease is not the first cause of liver disease in Australia. In contrast to this popular belief, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in the context of obesity and diabetes, is becoming the leading cause of liver disease, followed by hepatitis C and B – both of which can be treated if the virus is detected," said Associate Professor Amany Zekry, Chairperson of the Australian Liver Association (ALA) and liver specialist at St George Hospital, Sydney.

The research found 74 per cent of Australians consider alcohol consumption the leading cause of liver disease in Australia, far outweighing other causes such as diet (16 per cent) or viral hepatitis (10 per cent).

'It is concerning that more than six million Australians are already living with some form of liver disease and the number is expected to grow," said Ms Tyrrell.

'To prevent a further surge in liver disease and liver cancer, which is now the fastest growing cancer in Australia, people need to understand all the factors that impact their liver health," she added.

The top causes of liver disease in Australia are:
1. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (5.53 million)
2. Hepatitis C (307,040)
3. Hepatitis B (211,089)
4. Alcohol and haemochromatosis – (iron overload disorder) (119,440)

'We are calling on Australians to take part in our -know your risk' quiz at www.loveyourliver.com.auand take action to prevent a liver disease epidemic," Ms Tyrrell added.

About Viral Hepatitis

Both hepatitis B and C spread through blood-to-blood contact and from mother to baby. Hepatitis B is also transmitted via unprotected sex.

Without treatment, both hepatitis B and hepatitis C can lead to liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure and liver cancer.

Risk factors for hepatitis C include sharing injecting equipment, unsterile tattoos, body piercings or blood transfusions prior to 1990.

Hepatitis B is endemic in Asia Pacific and Africa and in some remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The best protection against hepatitis B is to get vaccinated. For those living with chronic hepatitis B, ongoing treatment and monitoring provides the best protection against the development of liver disease and liver cancer.

There is no vaccine to protect against hepatitis C but the infection can be treated, and, in many cases, cured.

Australians can learn how to love their liver at www.loveyourliver.com.au

Interview with Helen Tyrrell

Question: What is the Love Your Liver campaign?

Helen Tyrrell: We created this campaign to help Australians learn how to love their liver and get everyone talking about the importance of liver health. You can check out how healthy your liver is by taking the -Know Your Risk' quiz at www.loveyourliver.com.au


Question: What do you hope to see from this campaign?

Helen Tyrrell: Ultimately, we want to reduce the number of people affected by liver disease. Today, there are six million Australians living with liver disease, and liver cancer is now the fastest growing cancer, so it's absolutely vital that we all learn to love our liver.

Question: Is it surprising to you that 'Australians are blissfully unaware of the damage they may be doing to their long-term liver health"?

Helen Tyrrell: Yes, it came as a big surprise to learn that nearly 9 in 10 Australians think they are at low risk of developing liver disease. We also discovered that most Australians aren't aware of the major causes of liver damage.


Question: What is hepatitis B, and what causes it?

Helen Tyrrell: Hepatitis B is a virus that can cause damage to the liver. It is the most common liver infection in the world and can lead to liver cancer or liver failure without diagnosis and appropriate management.

Hepatitis B is most commonly spread through direct blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sexual contact and from mother to child at birth. You cannot get hepatitis B from hugging, kissing, sneezing, mosquitoes, or sharing toilets or showers.


Question: What is hepatitis C, and what causes it?

Helen Tyrrell: Hepatitis C is another virus that attacks the liver. Liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious chronic condition that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer. The virus spreads through any type of blood‐to‐blood contact including unsterile tattooing or body piercing procedures and sharing of needles and other equipment used for injecting drugs, including steroids and performance enhancing drugs.


Question: What are the symptoms of hepatitis B and C?

Helen Tyrrell: Many people with chronic hepatitis have few, if any symptoms at all, as the liver does not complain much in the early stages of liver disease. Additionally, symptoms vary a lot from person to person and may come and go, this unfortunately leads to a delay in diagnosis for many people. Some more common symptoms which may be present include:
Episodes of nausea and loss of appetite Tiredness and loss of energy
Abdominal pain or discomfort on the right side below the ribs
Muscle and joint aches and pains
Sleep disturbances
Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice).
If you think you might have been exposed to the hepatitis B or hepatitis C viruses, a diagnosis is made through a simple blood test. Don't wait for any symptoms to appear, see your doctor


Question: How many people are affected by hepatitis in Australia?

Helen Tyrrell: Recent estimates showed that 218,000 Australians are currently living with chronic (long term) hepatitis B, and more than 230,000 have chronic hepatitis C. However, many of these remain undiagnosed.


Question: Is the number of people affected by liver disease in Australia increasing?

Helen Tyrrell: There are currently more than six million Australians living with some form of liver disease – that's around 1 in 4 people, and the number is expected to grow.


Question: How do tattoos and piercings increase our risk of liver disease?

Helen Tyrrell: Any activity or procedure that involves piercing the skin poses a risk of contracting blood borne viruses such as hepatitis B and C which can lead to serious liver disease, therefore tattoos and piercing pose a risk. If you are going to get a tattoo or piercing, have it done professionally in a registered establishment where hygiene and sterilisation practices are better controlled. Steer clear of backyard tattooing practices, DIY piecing kits and tattooing practices in places such as Bali.


Question: Is liver damage irreversible?

Helen Tyrrell: The liver is one of the only organs in the body that can replace damaged tissue with new cells in some circumstances. However, sometimes the liver gets overwhelmed and can't repair itself and this can lead to a serious liver condition called cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). While some people have successfully reduced the severity of their liver disease by removing or controlling its underlying causes, there are no guarantees that liver damage can be reversed. Prevention is therefore the best approach to a healthy liver. Understand what can harm your liver and take steps to protect it from any damage.


Question: How can Australians lower their risk of developing liver damage?

Helen Tyrrell: Put simply, all Australians would benefit from learning how to love their liver! Some tips for maintaining liver health include: Maintain a healthy weight through a well-balanced diet and regular exercise. Small and sustainable changes are the best approach and you can get some help from your doctor or dietician if you need it.


Get your hepatitis B shots if you haven't been vaccinated. It's the world's first anti-cancer vaccine!

Be mindful of any activity or procedure that involving piercing of the skin. If getting a tattoo or piercing; have it done by a professional.

Give your liver a regular rest from alcohol, and don't drink excessively on any occasion.

Take the -know your risks' quiz and get more tips on how to love your liver by visiting: www.loveyourliver.com.au

Interview by Brooke Hunter