Hep B Hero Gala
October 7, 2008
More than 300 elected officials, healthcare industry professionals and community leaders gathered on September 18 at a dinner held at the San Francisco Hilton Financial District to lend their support to San Francisco’s effort to become the first hepatitis B-free city in the nation.
Proceeds from the black-tie event benefitted San Francisco Hep B Free, a citywide campaign to screen, vaccinate and treat all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans residents for hepatitis B, which disproportionately impacts the API community. An estimated 1 out of 10 APIs is infected with chronic hepatitis B, a “silent killer” that, if left untreated, can cause permanent liver damage resulting in cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The capacity crowd enjoyed a sumptuous three-course meal, as well as entertainment by Berkeley jazz ensemble 21 Flights West, Bay Area harpist Grace Yau, San Francisco Taiko Dojo drum troupe, Yau Kung Moon lion dance troupe and Wayne Huey of Red Panda Acrobats.
Speakers included State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, San Francisco Public Health Director Mitch Katz, BART Board member James Fang, Dr. John Ward of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s Division of Viral Hepatitis and San Francisco Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi and Michela Alioto-Pier.
“When I heard the numbers, that 1 out of 10 Asians in San Francisco is infected [with hepatitis B], there was no doubt in my mind that we had to do something,” said Alioto-Pier, referring to the partnership between city government, private healthcare and community organizations that resulted in the creation of San Francisco Hep B Free.
Earlier that afternoon, at a press conference held at the Chinatown Public Health Center, Dr. Ward announced new guidelines for the disease that focus on treatment, education and long-term care of infected individuals. Those guidelines mimic the ones already adopted by San Francisco Hep B Free, which have become the standard for care in San Francisco and have put San Francisco at the forefront in the fight against hepatitis B.
At the September 18 event, which was co-emceed by pioneering Asian television journalist Jan Yanuhiro and Yul Kwon, winner of the CBS hit reality television show Survivor: Cook Islands, Janet Zola, a health educator with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Chinese Hospital of San Francisco and Bristol-Myers Squibb received awards for their contributions to San Francisco Hep B Free.
The event also featured slideshow and video presentations created by Los Angeles-based advertising agency interTrend Communications. interTrend, a San Francisco Hep B Free partner specializing in Asian-targeted marketing, is responsible for the look and feel of San Francisco Hep B Free’s new “B a Hero” advertising campaign. The superhero-themed print ads, billboards and public service announcements mark the launch of the second phase of San Francisco Hep B Free, which focuses on outreach to impacted communities.
“This campaign is an important and welcome service for San Franciscans,” said Lloyd H. Dean, president and CEO of Catholic Healthcare West, presenting sponsor of the event. “It is especially critical for the well being of the Asian community. Together, we can make San Francisco the first Hep B-free city in the nation. [And] we look forward to continuing this partnership to improve the health and well being of our dynamic community.”
Comments
Got something to say?