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There are more than 200,000 people in the UK living with hepatitis C, but only half of these are
diagnosed and as few as 3 per cent are receiving treatment.1 If left untreated, hepatitis C can cause
serious or potentially life threatening complications like liver cancer.2 The majority of people living with
hepatitis C are from disadvantaged or marginalised communities.
RecoveRing fRom hepatitis c:
steps to empoweRment thRough peeR suppoRt
People who inject drugs or
have injected them in the
past are at the highest risk of
becoming infected with
hepatitis C. This highlights
the importance of ensuring
those affected are receiving
appropriate support and
guidance, to encourage
timely diagnosis and the best
possible care. Peer support
can play a vital role in
helping people in this way.
getting the care they need, a support network
can play an important role in recovery.
‘Opening up about my past experiences
and hepatitis C diagnosis was such a relief,
and with the right support I was able to work
towards a more positive future,’ says Tim.
‘There are so many organisations and groups
that can provide support and guidance for
these difficult times – the first step is
reaching out.’
Tim is a campaign ambassador for I’m
Worth…, which aims to address the stigma
that many people with hepatitis C face,
encouraging and empowering people living
with hepatitis C to access care and services no
matter how they were infected. You can view
his story, alongside others at
imworth.co.uk/ambassadors.
A hepatitis C diagnosis can feel daunting
for people suffering with drug or alcohol
addiction and taking the first step towards
finding support can be challenging. Peer
worker Tim Palin knows this first hand, having
had direct experience beating his own drug
addiction and hepatitis C. Tim now provides
support to people trying to make a recovery
and acts as a campaign ambassador for I’m
Worth…, an empowerment programme for
people with hepatitis C in the UK.
On his journey to recovery, speaking to
peers allowed him to understand that he was
not alone and gave him the chance to connect
with people who offered a more personal
perspective as they had been through similar
challenges and overcome difficult times in
their lives.
‘It was incredibly important and valuable
for me to have someone to turn to when I was
diagnosed. The diagnosis was a shock and the
course of treatment I was given was really
tough. Having people to talk to who had gone
through similar experiences made the journey
easier,’ says Tim.
Peer support meetings offer a safe and
1
www.drinka