Meetings 1st Tuesday of the month at 7 PM at Lima Fire Company FOR MORE INFO CALL 1-866-739-1126
 
Hepatitis Patient Sees Need, Forms Popular Support Group
A Pennsylvania woman who has been living with hepatitis for more than a decade is turning her attention away from her illness, and reaching out to others with the same disease through a newly formed support group that she says is attracting fairly large numbers.

Donna Cowan founded the group “Delco Hep C Connect” in Aston, Pennsylvania last fall. She says she saw a gap that needed to be filled; helping others who have the same disease she struggles with get past the hurt, the emotional roller coaster, and the unanswered questions about hepatitis C.

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Thank you all who supported Delco Hep C Connect and the 2nd annual liver awareness ride.On behalf of the members,the board of directors and the many others suffering from this deadly killer we all thank you.Your help and all proceeds helps us help you and others Please take time to patronize those who have assisted.
Our monthly meeting is at Lima Fire Company on the 1st tuesday of the month at 7pm,
please call 610.565.3736 for directions
Inspirational Campaign::

Cowan derives much of her inspiration from another Philadelphia-area woman facing hepatitis C who garnered headlines two months ago. Mary Kohler, a city paramedic who believes she and dozens of local firefighters contracted the virus on the job, staged a high profile sit-in outside the office of Philadelphia mayor John Street.

Her protest was prompted by threats that her sick leave had expired and that she might lose her job. Additionally, the city refused to provide benefits to affected firefighters, demanding proof that they contracted the disease on the job. Instead, Kohler protested, camping outside Street’s second floor office for two weeks.

In the end, her relentless vigil paid off in the form of a proposed state law that would provide workers’ compensation benefits to city workers with HCV, and shift the burden of proof about how workers contracted the disease to the city.

Building a Network of Support::

Cowan and other members of her group meet at a local firehouse once a month, but she is considering twice weekly gatherings.

She says her own efforts to provide a service and support to others in her area with hepatitis C have been extremely rewarding. “The response I have [had] is unbelievable,” she said. “I probably have one of the largest groups in this area.”

During their meetings, topics range from financial issues to disability assistance to medication questions. “We are not licensed doctors, and we are not lawyers,” she said. “If we don’t have the answer, we will find somebody in a professional position to find you the answer.”

She also advocates active patient participation in healthcare settings. “Ask those questions,” she insists. “A lot of people are intimidated by physicians. Ask those questions, and take control.”

24 Hour Help Line::
Those who are interested in joining the “Delco Hep C Connect” support group in the tri-state area can call a 24-hour hotline at 1-866-739-1126.
Contact Us::
FOR MORE INFO CONTACT DONNA COWAN-610-459-1046
E-MAIL:OUT4BLDDMC@YAHOO.COM
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