U.S. groups to celebrate World Hepatitis Day 2015

DENVER, July 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- World Hepatitis Day is held annually on July 28 to promote awareness of hepatitis, a blood borne disease that affects the liver. It is a United Nations holiday, one of only four disease-based holidays recognized by the World Health Organization. In partnership with World Hepatitis Alliance, millions of people around the world honor the day. Public and private groups sponsor various events to draw attention to the advances being made in prevention, detection and treatment and to seek more and better government action. Many groups in the United States are hosting awareness events. Summary details and contacts for a few of those events are given below. For more information on World Hepatitis Day 2015 please visit the official website at: http://worldhepatitisday.org/ and follow on social media at #preventhepatitis.

Denver street art remembers World Hepatitis Day
(Denver, CO) — Celebrating 20 years of patient-to-patient advocacy, Hep C Connection is hosting street artists from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 26 in remembrance of World Hepatitis Day 2015. The street art fair will be held in the alley behind Denver's Owl & Orchid Tattoo at 3928 Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80211. Attendees will watch artists spray paint urban wall murals, receive free hepatitis C screening and gather information about the many public and private organizations that provide support for viral hepatitis patients and providers.

CONTACT: Nancy Steinfurth, Hep C executive director, 303-523-6131 mobile, nsteinfurth@hepc-connection.org, http://www.hepc-connection.org

Hep C Connection, 1325 South Colorado Blvd., Bldg B, Suite 302 Denver, CO 80222, 800.522.HEPC, #HepCConnection

Igniting the flame of awareness RI Defeats Hep C
(Providence, RI) — Seeking to ignite the flame of awareness, RI Defeats Hep C in partnership with WaterFire (www.waterfire.org), an organization responsible for the award-winning installation by Barnaby Evans on the three rivers of downtown Providence, RI, is hosting a "C is for Cure" full lighting of over eighty bonfires along the Riverwalk and Waterplace Park basin. Commencing at sunset Saturday, Aug. 1, and for the second year in a row, Hep C physicians, nurses, case managers, social workers, scientists, advocates, patients, researchers and educators will be honored as torchbearers during the Olympic-style opening ceremony. Scott Holmberg, MD, MPH, Chief, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch; Division of Viral Hepatitis, CDC, will lead the procession. The evening festival, which is free and open to the public, attracting tens of thousands of visitors, will be full of activity including performances by the Festival Ballet of Providence and Gospel Choir Exult Choir of the Mixed Magic Theatre; food; music; hepatitis C education and free, confidential hepatitis C testing.

CONTACT: Melissa Hordes, Rhode Island Defeats Hep C Navigator, melissa.hordes@lifespan.org, (401) 793-7786, http://www.ridefeatshepc.com

New York to host candlelight vigil for hepatitis awareness
(New York) — With an eye toward youth, Team HBV NYC, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center and Hep Free NYC are partnering to host a candlelight vigil Sunday, July 19 at Washington Square Park (Garibaldi Plaza, near the fountain). The evening will begin with educational activities related to viral hepatitis in recognition of World Hepatitis Day 2015. More than 150 high school students are expected to attend. Participants will play educational games, watch videos from those affected by viral hepatitis and decorate their LED tea lights for the vigil. Activities are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. with the vigil beginning near sunset at 8:45 p.m. All are welcome and invited to bring their own banners and posters. The evening will end in silent respect for the 4,000 lives lost daily to viral hepatitis around the world.

CONTACT: Nicole Bannister, MPH, MS, Hepatitis B Program Associate, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, (212) 379-6986, nbannister@cbwchc.org

SOURCE Hep C Connection