IT’S TIME TO LOOK AFTER YOUR LIVER

Your liver, located on the right side of your abdomen behind the ribs, is the largest internal organ in your body.
It weighs around 1.2–1.5 kilograms. Your liver performs many vital functions:

  • clears the blood of waste products, hormones, drugs and other toxins;
  • breaks down hormones and old blood cells;
  • makes, stores and releases sugars, fats, and proteins;
  • makes clotting factors that help the blood to clot;
  • releases bile (a greenish-yellow fluid) to assist with digesting food and;
  • stores vitamins, minerals and iron.

Your liver is an amazing organ; click on the information on the left to learn more about your liver and how to look
after it.

Download Videos Here Video One Video Two Video Three

VIRAL HEPATITIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WORLDWIDE – one in 12 people throughout the world is living with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C

Hepatitis is a term that means inflammation of the liver. It may be caused by viruses, alcohol, drugs and other toxins, or less commonly by a breakdown in a person’s immune system.

There are estimated to be at least 170 million people in the world living with chronic hepatitis C, and more than 400 million with chronic hepatitis B; a total of over 570 million globally. These are serious diseases with often incapacitating symptoms, and sometimes fatal outcomes. Few people know that both hepatitis B and C can be managed and treated.

VIRAL HEPATITIS IN AUSTRALIA - A message from Helen Tyrrell, CEO, Hepatitis Australia.

Australians know little about hepatitis B or C, two viruses which attack the liver, and are the leading cause of liver transplants in our country.

If left unmanaged and untreated, people living with chronic hepatitis B or C are at risk of developing progressive liver disease, and in some cases, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Fortunately, both hepatitis B and C can be managed and treated, yet few of the 370,000 people in Australia who are living with the viruses are undergoing treatment or managing their hepatitis due to low levels of awareness and limited access to services.  Furthermore, 100,000 Australians are currently undiagnosed; living with chronic hepatitis B or C and have no idea.

Please help us to improve hepatitis awareness and support services by holding your own “love your liver lunch”.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP – Host a ‘Love Your Liver Lunch’

All Australians are invited to host a ‘Love Your Liver’ lunch. The aim of the lunches, is to raise awareness of good liver health, viral hepatitis and raise funds for improved hepatitis services.

If you enjoy being surrounded by friends and family, why not invite yours to lunch, and cook liver friendly food. Click here for healthy liver recipes. Ask your lunch guests to make a donation to help raise funds for improved hepatitis services.

No matter how big or small your lunch, it will make a difference to the 212,000 Australians who are living with chronic hepatitis C, and the 165,000 who are living with chronic hepatitis B.

Click here for more information on hepatitis C

Click here for more information on hepatitis B