Wall of Stories snapshots
“Timely diagnosis
saved my life”
Together, our stories
can change the way
the world sees viral
hepatitis. The stories
of those living with
or impacted by
viral hepatitis can
help educate and
raise awareness,
provide support
and inspiration,
tackle stigma and
discrimination, and
highlight the true
impact of this global
disease. Antonio
Each month we share the story
of someone whose life has been
affected by viral hepatitis. This
month, we hear from Antonio
Oñante from Mexico whose
personal experiences highlight
the importance of timely
diagnosis. I remember this moment so
clearly. The news shocked me. I
cried for a long, long time. But
thanks to the diagnosis, I was able
to change my lifestyle. I improved
my diet, I started to work out
more, I tried to handle stress
better and I improved my sleeping
habits.
16 hep Voice May 2018
“For me, the key to eliminating
viral hepatitis is education,
prevention and timely diagnosis.
I am proof of that. In 2002, a
routine medical examination
found that I had hepatitis C and
severe liver damage. It seems that
I was infected during surgery in
1984, where I almost died, and I
received a blood transfusion.
The doctor gave me the news
in a really bad way. He told me
that I had almost no chance
of a cure with the treatment
available at the time. My chances
of eliminating the virus with
interferon and ribavirin was very
low and perhaps the only way to
save my life would be through a
liver transplant.
Later, in 2006, I started treatment,
taking peg-interferon and
ribavirin for 48 weeks. But the
side effects were so unpleasant.
For weeks and weeks, I felt as if
my bones could break. My hair
started falling out and I lost lots of
weight.
Without a proper diagnosis, it is
very likely that my liver would
have become cirrhotic and I
would probably be dead by now.
So thanks to my diagnosis, my
life was saved. The treatment
worked and I got rid of the virus.
Thankfully now, my liver is healthy
with a minimum fibrosis.
Since then, I have been involved
in patient support groups. I have
seen through my foundation,
Fundación Hepatos Aión, how
hundreds, literally hundreds, of
people die because they don’t
receive a proper diagnosis in
time.
In my country, Mexico, the impact
of late diagnosis translates into
more than 13,000 deaths per
year. My experience has taught
me how important it is that
people receive a proper diagnosis
because that is the opportunity
to save their life. But people also
need to access proper education
and proper information about
the disease. So I encourage
governments to try and find
people that still don’t know they
are living with viral hepatitis. If we
don´t, more and more people will
die every year.”
Watch Antonio’s full video story
here.
We welcome stories from
every corner of the globe and
from all those impacted by
viral hepatitis; from patients
to family members, medical
professionals and policy
makers - viral hepatitis has a
unique experience of each of
our lives. Share your story to
our Wall of Stories here and
help to change the way the
world sees viral hepatitis.
May 2018 17
hep Voice