Facing the stigma of a hepatitis C diagnosis
“It’s one of those diseases that people don’t talk about. Especially when you’re a person of color, it’s very hush-hush.” - Jessica, Hepatitis C patient
Transcript
When I would tell my friends at the time, one of 'em didn't even wanna hug me.
So we quickly ended our friendship. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Hep C has a bad rap. There's a stigma behind it where a lot of people believe you got hepatitis C from needle use, blood exchange, sex
work. It's one of those diseases that people don't talk about. And especially when you're a person of color,
it's very hush hush. I got mine from mother to child during childbirth, our blood interacting.
And my mother received a blood transfusion in the '70s. The blood wasn't tested then for hepatitis C. She had no clue.
She had no idea. And then when you hear about it, like, on a TV show or in a movie, it's stigmatized.
Oh, they were doing drugs. They got hep C. [LAUGHS] Oh, they were just having sex
and got hep C. It becomes something that's comical. And I'm tired of-- I'm, like-- I'm so over it.
It's not funny. It is someone's life. I realize there's so many people who refuse to talk about it, who don't wanna
share their experience, who are scared and don't realize that there's treatment available. And you can fight.
If you advocate for yourself, you can fight to get treatment. So hep C kinda turned me into a warrior.
hepatitis c
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