December 2003
Christmas Potluck -- December 17

SCC Classrooms 3 & 4 or Rm 220
I Will Survive will provide beverages, disposable cups, plates and utensils. Along with your concerns, strengths and ideas to share, bring your favorite potluck dish with serving utensils or, better yet, "finger foods". (for location of SCC, see "Our Meetings" below right)

Upcoming Agendas:
Meeting Agenda:
6:30 p.m. (sharp) - Theme Song: I Will Survive
6:35 - 6:45 announcements
6:45 - 8:45 (or earlier) group members interact
and potluck 'til we adjourn

None scheduled
No More I Will Survive Meetings are scheduled at this time:

Sometime in 1996, Betty Perkins performed a wonderful community service by convening I Will Survive, the Sacramento educational and self-help group for patients with HCV and thier families. Numerous doctors and other healers with direct knowledge of HCV have freely given of their time and knowledge to share their insights at these support group meetings.
Since Betty relocated about 3 years ago, attendance at the support group meetings has dwindled and there has been no feedback from the local community regarding what is or is not valuable in the monthly newsletter. It is disheartening for those of us in the leadership to continue requesting appearances from this special community of healers, many of whom are right on the cutting edge of HCV therapy, not knowing if there may only be a crowd of 2 or 3 in the audience at the I Will Survive meetings. Repeated requests for new participants to invigorate the leadership and to bolster support group participation have gone largely unheeded.
Therefore, at this time, the current leaders have concluded that after our December potluck meeting, there no longer remains a viable role for I Will Survive. For those of you who might find this to be not true for you, we invite you to contact us to discuss formation of a new leadership. You may leave a message on our telephone message service (916) 444-6996 or by sending an email to dck@innercite.com (please include "IWS" in the subject line).
More News
Our Meetings: 3rd Wednesdays of every month; at SCC (Sutter Cancer Center, aka: Buhler Bldg) classroom 3&4 or Room 220; 2800 L St (@ 28th & L: kitty corner across from the 2-story parking & across L St. from Sutter Hospital)
Contact Us: Phone number: (916) 444-6996
Our Web Site> www.sacmall.net/transplant/hepc.html
Email: dck@innercite.com (include "I Will Survive" in subject line or your message might be delected before being read).
*New readers of this newsletter, see the following.
If you want to be included on our mailing/emailing list and you can afford to include a donation, make it to "I Will Survive, The Effort", P.O. Bx 2180, Loomis, CA 95650 for:
$24 if you want the Newsletter by U.S. mail
$15 if you get the Newsletter from the website (if you wish, each month we'll email a link to you)
$ 0 if, right now, you can't afford to pay dues. In which case "I Will Survive" will mail monthly Newsletters to you. Please contribute to the "Donations" Box at the meetings as you are able.

From the Dec. 2003 HCV Advocate:
Several new drugs are being investigated for use to treat HCV:
......Vertex released pre-clinical data on a newly discovered HCV protease inhibitor called VX-950. A 9 day and a 13 day study have been completed and VX-950 is now ready for evaluation in humans.
......BILN 2061 is a protease inhibitor and is the first direct antiviral agent against HCV. Treatment of several small samples of patients with oral doses has produced non-uniform results.
......Albuferon consists of a recombinant interferon alfa genetically fused to recombinant human serum albumin allowing the interferon to remain in the body longer. The pharmacologic profile supports dosing every 2 - 4 weeks due to Albuferon's reduced clearance and extended half-life up to 158 hours (more than 6 days).
......Viramidine is a prodrug of ribavirin meaning that it converst to ribavirin in the liver. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (formerly ICN Pharmaceutical) recently announced that they would being phase 3 clinical trials of viramidine.
......Amantadine appears to have a poorer performance than ribavirin
when combined with administration of interferon.

If you have no money or insurance call:
Sacramento Clinical Trials
Schering's Commitment to Care 1-800-521-7157
Infergen's Safety Net Program 1-888-508-8088
Roche's Patient Assistance 1-800-443-6676
Dr. Gish, et al, call: Pacific Hepatology, (916) 443-0503
Dr. Pimstone UCD Med Center, (916) 734-1557
Dr. Rossaro UCD Med Cntr, call: Katherine Suggett (916) 734-8696



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