Darren John Ellwood walks to raise awareness about Hepatitis C

The long road to awareness
HOLLY MCALISTER
04 Jan, 2011 11:25 AM

A Wellington man is walking to raise awareness for a disease which is not often publicised in Australia.

Darren John Ellwood will be conducting three walks to raise awareness about Hepatitis C, with the first scheduled to begin on New Year’s Day.

“Hep C is something that hasn’t got much publicity in Australia,” Mr Ellwood said.

“I’m hoping these walks will make people pay attention to the disease.

“My first walk will be from Wellington to Dubbo and back.

“My second walk is from Wellington to Orange and back on January 15.

“The third walk will be bigger - Wellington to Sydney starting on June 1.”

Mr Ellwood certainly has a good reason to pioneer Hepatitis C awareness.

“I was diagnosed with (the disease) two years ago and was treated in Dubbo and cured,” he said.

“I got it from a blood transfusion I had after a car accident in the 1990s.

“A lot of people think that Hep C is something that only drug users get but you can get it from anything where needles are involved - drugs, blood transfusions, tattooing.”

Mr Ellwood said he was petitioning local businesses for small sponsorships.

“I’m not doing this to make any money, so I don’t want donations or anything,” Mr Ellwood said.
“If local businesses would like to sponsor me all I’m asking is for things I would need on the walk - bandaids and drink bottles, that sort of thing.

“Businesses would get their names on the caravan that will be travelling with me on the walk as well.”

Mr Ellwood’s campaign mirrors that of American Joe Melsha, who is walking across the United States to raise Hepatitis C awareness after his mother died from the disease.

“There are more people in the world who die from this disease than know they’ve ever had it,” Mr Ellwood said.

“The only way it can be detected is through regular blood tests and hopefully these walks will convince people, especially those in the baby boomer generation, that they should get these blood tests done.”

Mr Ellwood is being sponsored by Keirle’s Pharmacy, Healthsense Pharmacy, Speddo’s Hire Wellington, GDM Sales and Kitch and Sons.

Mr Ellwood’s walk from Wellington to Dubbo will leave from Cameron Park on January 1.

To join Mr Ellwood on the walk or to sponsor the Sydney walk, visit the ‘Walk for Hep C’ Facebook page or call Mr Ellwood on 0447 697 897.
http://www.wellingtontimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/the-long-road-to-awareness/2038948.aspx