Chair of the Cross Party Group on Liver Disease and Liver Cancer, Joel James MS attended the Love Your Liver roadshow, held at Roald Dahl Plass, opposite the Senedd, on Tuesday 22 March. Joel was the first of 20 Members of the Senedd, a third of the Members of the Senedd Cymru, to attend the roadshow and participate in the free liver screener and FibroScan service.
Joel James said
“It’s great to have the British Liver Trust providing free liver screening and scanning in Cardiff today. The Love Your Liver roadshow is raising public awareness of liver disease and the shocking statistics that one in five of us are at risk of liver disease and the number of people being diagnosed is increasing at an alarming rate.
Liver disease develops silently with no signs or symptoms and people often don’t realise they have a problem until it is too late. Although the liver is remarkably resilient, if left until symptoms appear, the damage is often irreversible.”
The new Cross Party Group on Liver Disease and Liver Cancer, chaired by Joel James, aims to increase awareness of liver disease in the Senedd Cymru and promote policies to deliver better services and care for liver disease patients in Wales. The group, launched on 3 March, has three priorities;
- Improving the early diagnosis of liver disease
- Improving and increasing the number of Alcohol Care Teams
- Improving the Hepatology workforce in Secondary care
The group is also calling on the government to release the new liver disease Quality Statement this year, so there is more clarity in the policy approach for liver disease moving forward.
Joel James said
“We are supporting the British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver campaign today and backing the three simple steps to reduce your risk of liver disease:
- Drink within recommended limits and have three consecutive days off alcohol every week
- Eat a healthy diet and take more exercise
- Know the risk factors for viral hepatitis and get tested or vaccinated if at risk
It is important that if you are at risk of liver disease you have a test. If diagnosed early 90% of liver disease is reversible.”
If you are worried that you may be at risk, the British Liver Trust has an online screener, a simple quiz, where you can find out more. Visit www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/screener