Today, we continue our Real Stories Series for National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day on May 15th.

This year’s NHHAD theme is “Let’s Talk About Hepatitis” or “Hablemos sobre la Hepatitis”. In line with this theme, we are doing a week-long series of real-life stories of people who are are living with hepatitis now or in the past.

My name is Jeannette Gonzalez and this is my story:

I got mine through a blood transfusion in the 1980’s and I found out in the 1990’s that I had Hepatitis C.  The most difficult for me was when I took the Hep C treatment.  The medications were difficult because I don’t take medications.  I’m not used to taking medications everyday.  But after treatment I became a Peer Educator and this has changed my life.  Helping others is what I like doing.  And the positive thing about the Hep C is that I got rid of it and that’s what I want people to know.  That it’s not as scary as people say it is, it’s not the same for everyone.  I was one of the fortunate ones, I used to ride to the clinic everyday.  I had a friend that kept saying, “eso es malo, eso es malo,” in regards to the treatment.  He kept scaring people not to take it.  If I had listened to him, I never would have taken it.  But I still took it, I went through bad things, but not everyone is the same. Get it now while you can.

Stay tuned this afternoon at 2pm to our @NHHAD twitter account for a live Twitter chat in Spanish and English.

We are also proud to say that Ms. Bethsy Morales-Reid, the Director of NHHAD, is featured on aids.gov blog today! Head over there for a great background on hepatitis in the Hispanic communities, as well as things you can do to participate this year.

-Compiled by Bethsy Morales-Reid

@NHHAD