“Listen, or learn the hard way.” That’s the message hepatitis survivor John Kenney has for Brimbank’s young people about disease prevention.
The 59-year-old is one of Hepatitis Victoria’s ‘Hep Heroes’. Something of a human canvas, he uses his striking body art to promote the importance of needle hygiene.
Recent figures from Hepatitis Victoria show Brimbank had the highest rate of hepatitis B diagnosis in Victoria in 2012 and the second- highest number of hepatitis C diagnoses.
More than 15 per cent of hepatitis C detections in Brimbank were in people aged 25 or younger. The corresponding state figure was 11 per cent.
About one in five diagnoses for hepatitis B in Brimbank were of residents aged 25 and younger – three per cent higher than the statewide figure.
These figures do not include newly acquired infections, leading Hepatitis Victoria to predict the numbers are now likely to be even higher.
“Only one needle can wreck your life,” Mr Kenney said.
“I got my first tattoo from a mate after class when I was 12, but that’s not how I contracted hepatitis.
”I was addicted to drugs for 35 years, and one night I got desperate and shared a needle. About a week later, I was found half- dead.”
Mr Kenney is passionate about sharing his experience and hopes it will resonate with young people. “When I was a youngster, I didn’t want to listen and I’ve had to learn the hard way. You can’t see hepatitis or HIV, but you’ll know about it.”
Mr Kenney says he is “one of the lucky ones”. In 2003 he was declared officially rid of hepatitis.
“Don’t share needles, don’t do backyarders and make sure the tattooist you go to has a licence and uses sterilised needles,” he says.
“Look after your own life and don’t make the same mistake as me.”
Hepatitis B and C are now 17 times more prevalent in Australia than HIV/AIDS, with most new infections of hepatitis C occurring in people aged 15 to 30.
For more information, go to www.hepcvic.org.au
