Hep C Conference supports mind, body and spirit

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With 50 speakers and presenters, 37 workshop sessions and approximately 350 delegates, the National Aboriginal Hepatitis C Conference was a unmistakable success. And with the alarming number of Aboriginal people infected with Hepatitis C, raising awareness is key to reducing the numbers. According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), Hepatitis C infection among the province's Aboriginal people is seven times higher than the national rate.

Hosted by Chee Mamuk, an Aboriginal program that operates within BCCDC, the conference, themed Weaving the Mind, Body and Spirit was held May 4 to 7 in Richmond.

Conference Chair Lucy Barney said, "The theme was followed so well. The first day looked at the physical aspects of Hep C-what it is, treatment and diagnosis. The second day was the mind and looked at addictions, and the third day, Spirit, we brought it all together."

Workshops addressed a myriad of issues surrounding Hepatitis C, including harm reduction in Aboriginal communities, in prisons and on the street; the mentally ill; holistic approaches; self care; pregnancy; youth; and meditative peace.

Barney pointed to Xenxen "Following Someone's Footsteps," as one of the popular workshops, during which delegates visited Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to attend a Hep C meeting at the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU). Barney explained that the downtown visit, which was limited to 40 people, was done as a West Coast witness ceremony. She explained: "It was their (delegates') responsibility to share the information with others in a culturally appropriate way. We used many ceremonies to allow us to share the information."

Upon her return from the Eastside, delegate Juanita Jacob addressed the conference, saying, "When I was down at the VANDU it was a pretty moving experience to see someone acknowledge their condition. To stand in front of his peers and show his face and say, 'Yeah, I have it, but I want to do something about it.'"

The conference, which was full of expert testimony, research and statistics, brought to light so much more. It was sharing, helping and healing-truly a mind, body and spirit experience. This was illustrated when a conference delegate stood at one of the microphones and openly asked for help. She explained that she was infected with Hepatitis C and her son with HIV. They were preparing to return to their home community, and she wanted to know if there were any videos that she could show the youth in her community to help them understand. As soon as she sat down, several different people approached her with offers of help. Some had specific resources for her, others offered hugs of support.

Said Barney of the woman's sharing, "People took care of each other at the conference-we had roaming counsellors, a counselling room, an Elders' room and a lot of time for networking with each other."

She said the biggest goal was raising awareness so that prevention can happen and the numbers can decrease. "I think this is just the beginning."

Elder and conference presenter Seis^^lom concurred with Barney, saying, "After this conference is over, it will not be over, it's just the beginning. This disease has come here to teach us so we can perhaps work together ... We have a job, a responsibility to educate ourselves as much as possible... If a brother or sister has fallen down it's up to everyone in this room to hold a hand out and help."