HELPING OTHERS: Jeff Temple, who discovered he had hepatitis C after attending a blood-donor session in 1994

PHOTOGRAPHS of a North-East man will be on show throughout the region today as part of a campaign to raise awareness about hepatitis C and to save lives.

Jeff Temple, 54, from Carrville, near Durham City, discovered he had hepatitis C when he went to donate blood in 1994.

He allowed his image to be used as part of an NHS travelling exhibition designed to encourage more people to come forward for hepatitis testing and treatment.

Today, that exhibition is in the Market Place, Durham City.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can cause chronic infection and lead to serious liver damage, including cirrhosis and primary liver cancer.

It is estimated that about 200,000 people are infected with hepatitis C and the majority are probably unaware of their infection.

While there is no vaccine, effective anti-viral drug treatment is available from the NHS.

"I just hope it encourages people to get themselves tested. Hopefully, by raising awareness of hepatitis C in this way it could save a few lives," said Mr Temple, who will be available to answer questions during the day.

A large drum-shaped display featuring photographic portraits of people from all over the UK who are living with hepatitis C will be on display.

One of the portraits is of Michele Martinoli, a Swiss photographer who was diagnosed with hepatitis C in May 2003.

Initially told that she had advanced liver damage, she began a successful course of injections which cleared up the virus.

Mr Temple recently started a course of injections to cure him of hepatitis.

When he was first diagnosed there was little treatment and even in recent years, when an antiviral drug was developed, it was so expensive that it was only used for patients who had become very ill.

"That has all changed and now it is accepted that the best thing is to get treatment at the early stages of the disease," he said.

"The message is, treatment can clear up the virus, so don't be afraid of getting help by calling the hepatitis C information line, your doctor or nurse."

The exhibition will also be attended by Ms Martinoli and Dr Deborah Wilson, consultant in communicable disease control at County Durham and Tees Valley health protection unit.

The Hepatitis C Trust helpline is 0845- 233-4424.

2:02am Thursday 27th March 2008

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