Know your risks – and options – this National Liver Awareness Month
US walks, webinars, and advocacy efforts aim to raise awareness, funding
October is National Liver Awareness Month and Liver Cancer Awareness Month, and advocacy organizations across the U.S., including the American Liver Foundation (ALF), are recognizing both by offering initiatives and programs aiming to help the estimated 100 million Americans living with some form of liver disease.
Key to these efforts are education, identification, and prevention.
“Once your liver stops working properly, your body cannot filter out toxins, and this could lead to a whole host of health issues,” Lorraine Stiehl, the CEO of ALF, said in a foundation press release. “Many liver diseases are reversible if caught early. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Find out if you’re at risk and take the necessary steps to take charge of your liver health.”
To help assess liver health, ALF encourages the community to take its online quiz — available in English and Spanish — which can be done in less than five minutes. Those interested can find out if they’re at risk for liver disease and, new this year, liver cancer.
The nonprofit notes that a healthy diet helps maintain good liver health. To that end, ALF is inviting the community to download its 30-day healthy liver meal plan and follow its easy-to-make recipes.
A slate of fundraisers, webinars, and online campaigns are being hosted through this awareness month by ALF and other advocacy organization, both in the U.S. and internationally.
For its part, ALF will hold a webinar on Liver Health for Veterans from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 21. Another webinar titled Liver Disease & Mental Health will follow the next day, from 7-8 p.m. ET on Oct. 22. On each day, participants will have the opportunity to ask ALF experts questions during the webinars’ live Q&A session.
Patients, caregivers, and families can also learn practical information about hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), a severe complication of advanced liver disease, and acute kidney injury by watching an on-demand webinar on ALF’s social media. A new HRS-related resource designed to help patients track symptoms, including urine output, appetite, and mood, is also available to download.
Additionally, as part of its virtual continuing medical education program, ALF will offer several free educational webinars for healthcare professionals. These will focus on liver disease, including primary biliary cholangitis and fatty liver disease.
Liver Life Walks to be held across US this awareness month
During the month, supporters can participate in the foundation’s signature Liver Life Walks, to come together and raise awareness and funds to aid the liver disease community. Walks will be held throughout the month: on Oct. 4 in Meriden, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C.; Oct. 5 in Richmond, Virgnia.; Oct. 12 in Chicago; Oct. 18 in San Francisco; and Oct. 26 in Houston. A virtual walk is also available all month long, with all of the events supporting the initiative’s $32,000 fundraising goal.
The ALF’s National Legacy Gala, which honors leaders in the liver community, will take place Oct. 29 in New York. The event will be livestreamed and feature a silent auction with pre-event and remote bidding options.
Liver health advocates can also make direct donations to ALF to support the mission.
Adults living with any liver disease — such as fatty liver disease, Alagille syndrome, biliary atresia, hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, or progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis — are also encouraged to join the ALF Patient Registry. By taking part, individuals with these conditions can help to advance research on their specific disease, as well as on liver issues overall, and potentially aid therapy development.
The foundation is also encouraging the liver disease community to participate in its “Sharing the Journey” support groups for patients, caregivers, and liver transplant recipients. The monthly events are held online via Zoom.
Volunteers are also being sought for ALF’s “Lend Your Voice Campaign” to advocate for the liver disease community at large. Advocates will meet virtually with U.S. Senate offices in October and U.S. House of Representatives offices in November to share their personal stories and discuss ALF’s legislative priorities.
Congressional briefing on liver cancer slated for Oct. 28
For Liver Cancer Awareness Month, a Congressional briefing on liver cancer, titled “Prevalence, Risk Factors and Strategies for Prevention and Treatment,” is being hosted by ALF from 12-1 p.m. ET on Oct. 28. Leading experts and patient advocates will detail prevention and treatment strategies, and participants will advocate for legislative solutions designed to expand access to quality care.
Also participating in this year’s awareness month activities is the Global Liver Institute, with its annual #OctoberIs4Livers campaign focused on liver cancer.
“Raising awareness of liver cancers is critical because too many patients and families only discover this disease when it is already advanced,” Larry R. Holden, GLI’s president and CEO, wrote in an emailed statement to Liver Disease News. “Awareness equips patients, caregivers, and communities with the knowledge to act early — whether through prevention, timely screening, or seeking the right care.”
With the theme “Know your Risks — Know your Options,” this year’s campaign focuses on four major topics: education, prevention, detection, and survivorship.
Raising awareness of liver cancers is critical because too many patients and families only discover this disease when it is already advanced. … Awareness equips patients, caregivers, and communities with the knowledge to act early — whether through prevention, timely screening, or seeking the right care.
The nonprofit offers a toolkit for social media and will hold global open house events around the world this month. A webinar series, designed to raise awareness about liver cancer prevention and treatment, is being held every Thursday in October. The sessions each begin at 1 p.m. ET.
Sarah Manes, GLI’s liver cancers program director, noted in an organization press release that “liver cancer cannot be seen as just treating the disease itself. Working across disease states and bringing together healthcare teams, policymakers, grassroots efforts, and patients will help reduce incidence and improve outcomes.”
Other associations, including the International Liver Cancer Association, the Hepatitis B Foundation, and Liver Cancer UK, are also promoting activities to recognize Liver Cancer Awareness Month.
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