2016 World Hepatitis Day Events in British Columbia
Collected by Pacific AIDS Network
FRASER
Sponsoring Agency: Stride with Purpose Program at the Lower Mainland Purpose Society
When: Thursday, July 28 from 8:00am – 9:00am
Where: Lougheed Skytrain Station
Event Details:
Stride with Purpose will be at the Lougheed Skytrain Station handing out treats and information on Hepatitis C to raise awareness, promote prevention strategies and encourage testing. Many are unware they have Hepatitis C because they have never been tested. The hope is to change that on July 28th.
Sponsoring Agency: Positive Haven at Lookout Emergency Aid Society
When: Thursday, July 28 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm
Where: Positive Haven 10697 – 135A Street, Surrey
Event Details:
Know your Hepatitis status. Approximately 250,000 Canadians are infected with Hepatitis C, and almost half don’t know they are infected. Get tested. Educate yourself on options. Seek treatments as early as possible. Test for Hepatitis every 3 months if you are engaging in high risk activities.
Activities & Information: lunch, door prizes, henna tattoos, face painting
Community & Civic Engagement: educational seminar lead by Hepatitis C specialists in BC
Health & Wellness workshops: on-site Hep C testing
Live Entertainment: Bhangra and Aboriginal dance; Runway to Hope: 5th Annual OWL (Other Women’s Lives) fashion show
Sponsoring Agency: Positive Living Fraser Valley Society
When: Thursday, July 28 from 11:00am to 2:00pm
Where: Unit 108A 32883 South Fraser Way
Contact/Event Details:
Get tested for Hep C, have a Liver Fibro-scan with Dr. John Farley, meet other service providers and guests, and enjoy some great food and meet our staff! Our staff will also be out in the community and at London Drugs (South Fraser Way) and the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy from 10:30am to 12:00pm. Call 604-854-1101 for more information.
INTERIOR
Sponsoring Agency: ASK Wellness Society
When: Thursday, July 28 from 11:00am to 2:00pm
Where: ASK Wellness, 433 Tranquille Road, Kamloops
Event Details:
A free BBQ, music and entertainment for all! Speakers talking on Hep C information, treatment, and support.
ISLAND
Sponsoring Agency: AIDS Vancouver Island (Campbell River and Courtenay/Comox)
Event Details:
This fun Community Mapping Event is taking place in both Campbell River and Courtenay/Comox of Vancouver Island. The objective of the event is to visit and collect stamps from the 9 participating service provider organizations. Game cards to collect stamps on can be obtained from the local newspapers as well as the service provider offices. Participants can gather stamps over a 3-day period from Monday, July 25 to Wednesday, July 27, and those who collect 6 or more stamps are eligible for prize draws. In Campbell River, the draw is happening at the Royal Coachman Neighbourhood Pub at 5pm on Thursday, July 28. In Courtenay, the draw is happening at the Prime Chophouse and Wine Bar at the same time, same day. Everyone is invited! Further detail on food and drinks can be inquired by calling AIDS Vancouver Island at 250-871-7292.
Prizes for both locations include: $100 towards walk-on ferry to Seattle, 2 tickets to the Seattle Mariners baseball game, and $170 gift certificate for VI Fitness Centre for Women. In Campbell River specifically, $150 gift certificate to Sage Spa can be won, and in Courtenay, a 2-person gear rental pass to Live to Surf can be won. A silent auction will also be held at the Prime Chophouse and Wine Bar in Courtenay.
Sponsoring Agency: AIDS Vancouver Island (Victoria)
When: Thursday, July 28 from 11:00am to 2:00pm
Where: Central Library, Victoria
Event Details:
Information table will be set up inside the front entrance of Victoria Central Library
Sponsoring Agency: AIDS Vancouver Island (Victoria)
When: Thursday, July 28 at noon
Where: Centennial Square, Victoria
Event Details:
March and rally from Centennial Square to the BC Legislature, featuring people with lived experiences as special guest speakers. The theme of this event is lack of access to treatments and harm reduction in prison systems.
Sponsoring Agency: AIDS Vancouver Island (Nanaimo)
When: Thursday, July 28 from 10:00am to 1:30pm
Where: Vancouver Regional Library, Nanaimo Waterfront location at 90 Commercial Street, Nanaimo
Event Details:
Info desk in the lobby of the library from 10:00am to 1:30pm. Two screenings of documentary “Deal with it: Untold Stories of Hepatitis C in Canada” at 10:30am and 12:00pm (documentary is 1 hour long). Snacks will be provided.
PROVINCIAL/VANCOUVER
Sponsoring Agency: Carnegie Centre
When: Thursday, July 28 from 9:00am to 9:45pm with a special community forum hosted by Pacific Hepatitis C Network and Positive Living BC from 10:30am to 12:00pm
Where: Carnegie Centre – 401 Main Street, Vancouver
Event Details:
Carnegie Community Centre is hosting its annual World Hepatitis Day event. This event invites a number of speakers, and highlights the new Hepatitis C treatments available and the current issue of overdoses. There will be door prizes, as well as food and refreshments.
Community Forum by PLBC and Pacific Hep C Network: “Hepatitis C and HIV Co-Infection – Transmission to Treatment” is the focus of Positive Living BC’s community forum on July 28. This event is free and open to everyone, no RSVP is required. You are invited to drop in to learn about advances in hepatitis C care in Canada, and to meet new people and share your own experiences. Snacks and lunch will be provided. The event will run from 10:30 am to 12 pm.
The forum will take place at the Carnegie Centre (401 Main St). Dr. Alexandra King, MD, FRCPC, Lu’ma Medical Centre and Suzan Krieger, Access and Assistance Coordinator at Positive Living BC will be presenting. The forum is produced in co-operation with Pacific Hepatitis C Network.
Did you know? July 28 is World Hepatitis Day. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) made World Hepatitis Day one of only 4 official disease-specific world health days, to be celebrated each year on the 28th of July. Millions of people across the world now take part in World Hepatitis Day, to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, and to call for access to treatment, better prevention programs and government action. The theme for World Hepatitis Day Canada 2016 is ‘Know Your Status? Get Tested – Learn Your Options’. If you want to learn about World Hepatitis Day Canada, please visit whdcanada.org
Don’t forget to check out the BC Place and Science World lighting up at sunset on July 28th, as well as the Generation Hep ads in Canada Line stations and Broadway Station (a large back-lit poster)!!