Authors Lloyd Wright & Melody Beattie Kick-Off Hepatitis C Awareness Campaign

Author Lloyd Wright continues Hepatitis C Awareness Campaign with WA radio appearance. Wright (Triumph Over Hepatitis C) to be featured Wednesday, August 3rd on the KKNW radio show (1150 AM) "Creating Your Day with Cameron & Lucia" at 9 am in Seattle, WA (also live and archived on the Internet*).

Malibu, CA (PRWEB) July 30, 2005 -- Author Lloyd Wright continues Hepatitis C Awareness Campaign with WA radio appearance. Wright (Triumph Over Hepatitis C) to be featured Wednesday, August 3rd on the KKNW radio show (1150 AM) "Creating Your Day with Cameron & Lucia" at 9 am in Seattle, WA (also live and archived on the Internet*).

"Hepatitis C Awareness has a long way to go," says author Lloyd Wright, who likens the situation to the early days of AIDS. And he knows how bad it is out there. Practically every day, he speaks with the people who have Hep C who call his hotline. One common theme of these conversations is the discrimination faced by "Heppers". Take Katie, a caller who was fired from her job as a bartender for a catering company after her Hepatitis C status became known. Ironically Katie had mentioned it to a fellow worker with AIDS as a way to show her support for him. When Wright spoke to her employer, the man said it was the perception of the people who hire his catering firm that got Katie fired, not his own beliefs. The man said he just wanted to stay in business.

"There is much education that needs to take place in regards to Hepatitis C, both about how it is spread** and about options for patients," observes best-selling author Melody Beattie, who discovered her Hep C positive status two years ago after a routine medical exam.

To make the spotlight shine brighter on the many facets of Hepatitis C, Lloyd Wright, a best-selling author himself, decided it was important to bring celebrities like mega-author Melody Beattie on board. "The reason I asked Melody to come forward to talk about having Hep C is that people listen to celebrities," says Wright. "Celebrities got involved in the AIDS issue, and look at how open the discussion about it has become. Hepatitis C should be the same way."

Wright and Beattie agree that their campaign needs to both educate the general public AND reach out specifically to those who have Hep C. "People with a Hepatitis C diagnosis need to understand that they didn't just receive a death sentence," notes Beattie. "They have options, even though the person who gave them their diagnosis may not be aware of those options." At present, most Hep C patients are steered toward Interferon treatment.

A search for alternatives to the standard medical protocol is what initially brought Beattie into Wright's world. His book, Triumph Over Hepatitis C, which has sold over 200,000 copies, outlines the alternative medicine solution he developed. Over the years, it has been used successfully by patients around the world. Wright himself had Hep C, contracted from a blood transfusion after a building site accident.

Lloyd Wright's hotline [877-676-1615 and website [www.hepatitiscfree.com remain active. Over the years, he has talked to thousands of patients. However since the disease affects 15 to 25 million people in the U.S. alone, he knows there are many others he has yet to reach.

One angle of the Hep C story that Wright would like to get out to more people is what Heppers should avoid in order to get better or stay well. This includes actions that are likely to raise their viral load (a measure of the quantity of Hep C virus in a patient's blood). "Many prescription drugs can raise the viral load, including antibiotics and antidepressants. Another drug that does is Viagra, but I don't know of anyone else who is talking about that."

"If you get Hep C, it is possible to make choices and take action so that you eventually die from something else, rather than from the Hepatitis," says Beattie. "People need to be empowered to make the choices that are right for them, and they can't do that unless they are aware of all of their options. Information truly is power."

* "Creating Your Day with Cameron & Lucia" is a KKNW radio call-in show [1150 AM in Seattle, WA that aims to bring information and resources to people that will improve their lives while assisting in their personal & spiritual journeys. The show is hosted by married couple Cameron & Lucia, who believe that knowledge is empowerment. On Wednesday August 3rd, callers can ask Lloyd questions LIVE by dialing 1-888-298-5569. At www.contactradio.info, people anywhere in the country can listen to the show LIVE or to an archived version.

** The Hepatitis C virus is spread thru contact with Hepatitis C-infected blood. Common methods of transmission include injection drug use, blood transfusions, and medical procedures. The virus is NOT spread merely through casual contact such as sneezing, coughing, hugging or sharing food, eating utensils or drinking glasses. People need not be excluded from work or school because of their Hep C status. Studies have found a lack of evidence for sexual transmission.

For more information about Hepatitis C, go to the website www.hepatitiscfree.com, and read Wright's book Triumph Over Hepatitis C. The book is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon.com and www.hepatitiscfree.com.

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