LiverWELL

Ilbijerri Theatre Company are near to releasing Viral, a film about hepatitis C in Aboriginal communities.

Viral, written by Maryann Sam, follows the story of Ally and her family as they come to reckoning with hepatitis C and its treatment.

With an all Aboriginal cast and crew, Viral is a landmark film that amplifies the voices of First Nations People.

Dramaturg and consultative director Kamarra Bell-Wykes spoke with LiverWELL about her role in the film and how the workshopping and consultative process to create Viral has given platform to so many Aboriginal community members about hepatitis C.

Lauren Sheree, a producer at Ilbijerri Theatre Company spoke of how the film is deeply impacting, and delivers a powerful health message due to its realness.

We talk to Adrian Farrugia from the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University.

Adrian’s research focuses on opioid overdose and take-home naloxone, experiences of hepatitis C treatment, and young people’s drug consumption and drug education.

And he is currently researching the uptake and experiences of hepatitis C treatment in Australia. This qualitative project collects the stories of people affected by hepatitis C to understand the meanings of treatment and identify impediments to uptake in an era focused on elimination.

Sarah Lorrimar is a sexuality educator living in Collingwood but with a strong love and connection to Melbourne’s West. And her background is Chinese – Indonesian and Australian.

Sarah is passionate about social justice, particularly around gender equity and sexual health rights and has spent the past decade specialising in health promotion. Before this, she completed a Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion) and a Postgraduate Diploma of Sexology.

LiverTalk speak with Associate Professor Christy Newman (they/them) from the University of NSW Sydney, about her research into blood-borne viruses and serodiscordant families.

Christy is also Associate Dean (Engagement, Impact and Enterprise) at UNSW

LiverTalk speak with Doctor Amy Pennay from La Trobe University, about her research into alcohol and how people are choosing to drink less. Dr Amy Pennay is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR), La Trobe University.

Dr Pennay has an Honours degree in Criminology and was awarded her PhD through the National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, in 2013.

Her PhD was an examination of the social, cultural and economic contexts of alcohol and 'party drug' use in Melbourne, with a focus on risk environments and the implications for prevention.

Associate Professor Paul Gow talks Fatty Liver on 3AW's healthy living Program

How much do we really know about the impact of non-dependent alcohol use upon the brain?

Listen to the discussion about why there needs to be more research into the impacts of non-dependant alcohol use upon the brain.

Special guests:

Fiona Martyn, Galway Neuroscience Centre PhD student, from the Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, National University of Ireland.

Dr Eimer McMahon, National University of Ireland who shares insights into the health of the mind and body.

For more tips on healthy habits http://www.hepvic.org.au/livingwell/drinkaware/

We talk to Steve Allsop about the changing perceptions around drug law in Australia, what this could look like and what is important to take into consideration.

In our conversation we also discussed the vital importance of addressing stigma and discrimination and improving access to drug and alcohol treatment services alongside broader change.

Jennifer MacLachlan, Senior Epidemiologist at The Doherty Institute shares the reports latest findings on the the prevalence of viral hepatitis, the need to increase diagnosis, treatment & care, and how targeted engagement based on the latest regional data can help drive an increase in testing.

https://ashm.org.au/resources/hcv-resources-list/viral-hepatitis-mapping-project-national-report-2018-2019/

Music: ‘Solar Power’ by Zucchini Clan. Used in agreement with the artists.

Reflecting on World Hepatitis Day 2020 and the fight that has continued to be made across the sector for elimination of viral hepatitis despite the COVID-19 restrictions.

Including a special song from Mark Farmer Memorial Award winner Andree, hear from a number of people about what they have been doing this year for WHD including staff from SHARPS NSP in Frankston and Alfred Health.

Special guests:

Bree – SHARPS NSP Peninsula Health

Cheryl – Alfred Health ‘

World Hepatitis Day song: Andree Dolby

‘Solar Power’ by Zucchini Clan. Used in agreement with the artists.