Hep Connect turns 3 years old!

[Linda Mc]

Hepatitis NSW’s phone based peer support service turns 3 years old this month, continuing to provide essential support to people living with hepatitis C in NSW!


What is Hep Connect?

Hep Connect provides an opportunity for people with hepatitis C to mutually discuss their experiences with a trained peer volunteer over the telephone. All our peer volunteers have experiences of living with hepatitis C and have been through hepatitis C treatment. Hep Connect is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL service.



Who can use Hep Connect?

• People living with hep C, their partners, family, or carers

• People dealing with the complexities of hep C treatment (e.g: people considering or undergoing treatment, or dealing with post treatment issues.



Hep Connect aims to:

• Assist people’s decision making process around treatment

• Enhance people’s capacity to cope with treatment

• Reduce isolation and increase overall hep C support



What people say about Hep Connect…

· “I appreciate the calls very much, if she can cope so can I! I don't really talk about hep C with anyone, even family, I live in a small country town and don't want everyone to know my business, so it's a saving grace being able to talk over the situation.”


· “The out of hours availability and its accessibility is what makes Hep Connect so great!”


· “It is great to get ongoing support through treatment. The Hep Connect volunteer helped me to talk over my fears.


· “She provided me with lots of valuable and practical suggestions about how to cope...It was nice to hear her say that she was willing to be a support for me when I go on treatment, because I don’t have much support.


How can I access Hep Connect?

Ring the Hepatitis Helpline on 1800 803 990 (free call)


Hepatitis Helpline staff will then take some details from you and organize a Hep Connect volunteer to contact you at a mutually convenient time.

For more information about Hep Connect or to download posters to display in your service please click here: http://www.hepc.org.au/index.php?articl ... ep-connect