Hepatitis, HIV, and other Infectious Diseases in Hawai`i Speakers’ Bureau 2007

Hepatitis Network of Hawai`i Speakers’ Bureau List:

Guest speakers by request and availability only:

ALAN D. TICE, MD, FACP, Infectious Disease Specialist and an Associate Professor, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i, is a nationally known speaker on Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, and HIV.

He is an expert on infectious diseases and is also willing to speak on other infectious disease issues that should be a concern for staff who work with the poor or homeless in Hawai`i including MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, wound care, and antibacterial therapy if requested to do so. He is also an expert on Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy.

Dr. Tice's infectious disease team is now accepting referrals and treating Hepatitis B and C as well as HIV diseases from Substance Abuse, Mental Health, HIV/AIDS, Ex-offender, Veterans, and Homeless programs. He also has limited number of free Hepatitis C Test Vouchers that are now available for your clients if they have had high risk exposure in the past, at his office. This will be announced at his presentations!

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EDDIE OCHOA, Hepatitis C Patient and a prior healthcare worker with the homeless. Eddie has recently received the "Gift of Life", a Liver Transplant, and is willing to share his experience, strength, and hope to others.

He had been on oxygen due to his cirrhosis, liver condition, for a numbers of years, while waiting to be approved for a liver transplant. He had many people at the New Hope Christian Fellowship in Hawai`i and in California praying that it would be in time to save his life. He thought that he would never be approved for the transplant because of his past as a Mexican from the Barrios of Los Angeles and ex-drug user.

Ask to hear his amazing story and what he and his family had to do to finally be approved for a liver transplant!

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EILEEN VAIL, Hepatitis C Patient. Eileen has completed 48 weeks of Hepatitis C treatment and does not have any detectible virus. However, she still needs a liver transplant and is currently trying to get on the transplant waiting list.

She will tell her story of courage and hope. She is trying to encourage others to not wait until it may be too late to be tested and treated for this silent epidemic like she did. Most people will not feel ill until it may be too late to be treated!

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FERNANDO V. ONA, MD, FACP, FACG, Chief, Center for Digestive and Liver Diseases and Nutrition at VA pacific Island Health Care System. He is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Hawaii John A Burns School of Medicine.

Fernando V. Ona completed his internal medicine residency in Boston Veterans Affairs Medical Center and his Gastroenterology Fellowship at Boston City Hospital and Hepatology Fellowship at Tuft-New England Medical Center.

He was Chief of Gastroenterology and Associate Professor of Medicine at St Mary’s Hospital and University of Rochester School of Medicine from 1974 to 1999.

He is Governor of the American College of Gastroenterology representing Hawaii, member of the American Association for Study of Liver Disease and the American Gastroenterology Association and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He is also a member of the Medical Advisory Committee of the American Liver Foundation, Hawaii Chapter, and the President Elect for the Philippine Medical Association of Hawai`i.

Dr. Ona is an expert on the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis and its effect on the veteran’s population in Hawai`i. He has trained Nurse Practitioners that are treating veterans for chronic hepatitis on the other Islands. Veterans have over twice the rate of hepatitis C than the national average.

He has also given a number of talks about the high rates of hepatitis B in the Philippines and its impact on Filipinos in Hawai`i. Filipinos are now 25% of Hawai`i’s population and are the fastest growing API group in Hawai`i. 10% of the 100,000 Filipinos that live in Hawai`i were born in the Philippines and may have chronic hepatitis B.

Ask for Dr. Ona to learn more about hepatitis and APIs and/or veterans!

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HEATHER LUSK, Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator, Hawaii State Department of Health. The Hepatitis prevention coordinator role has been to collaborate within the state public health system and its community partners in integrating hepatitis prevention into the work currently being done with STD and HIV prevention programs.

She has had many years of experience in working with Hepatitis and HIV in California and has been an expert trainer and facilitator of small facilities as well as large conference sessions.

She is currently offering special Hepatitis Prevention Trainings for health care providers and educators.

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JANICE NILLIAS, Executive Director, American Liver Foundation, Hawai`i Chapter.

American Liver Foundation addresses liver health promotion and disease prevention, and research, education, and advocacy on behalf of those affected by liver disease. It is a non-profit national health organization with 26 chapter offices located across the country. Hawai`i is now proud to have a local chapter that was started in 2005.

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JESSIE ANN FARIAS-YOKOYAMA, CPRP, is a coordinator at Mental Health Kokua.

Jessie has work as a supervisor in the mental health, substance abuse and HIV fields for many years and has a genuine concern for the people that she serves.

We are extremely happy to add Jessie to our Speakers Bureau Faculty since we will reaching out to the mental health and substance abuse provider communities in the future. Many people with mental health and/or substance abuse issues have chronic viral hepatitis and most of them still do not even know it. Research indicates that 40% of the homeless with mental illness and substance abuse may be infected with hepatitis C. (Up to 90% of injection drugs users may be infected with hepatitis C and many of them were infected within the first month of sharing injection drugs.)

Jessie is currently a Peer Coach & Respite Coordinator. She has also been an intensive case manager for the homeless and has also been an HIV/Hepatitis and TB educator in the past. She has been certified to do pre and post HIV test counseling.

Ask for Jessie to speak to your staff or clients about these important issues!

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JOSEPH B. RATTNER, OD, CSAC – Founder and President of West O`ahu Hope For A Cure Foundation, Joe is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor since 1994 and Living with HIV for 15 years. WOHFAC’s mission provides education, prevention and care programs for people at risk for or Living with HIV, Hepatitis C and Addiction. His experience with Youth/Adult and Service Provider education stems from 9 years with the GMHC in NY facilitating workshops, coordinating integrated HIV, STD and Addiction Programs and speaking to the multicultural Youth. He has been speaking in schools, treatment centers and prisons here in Hawai`i for 3 years, with his main focus on Youth, the Re-entry population and the Care of people with these chronic illnesses.

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K. J. SCHRODER - lives in Waikiki with his boyfriend of five years and moved here from The East Coast to Honolulu, with both my parents, in 1986.

The day after Mother’s Day in 2004, he noticed his stomach beginning to swell severely. At first, he just thought he had too much to eat the night before. But then, within two days it had still not gone down...and he noticed that his legs—his upper thighs—were real fat. REALLY, really FAT! Within, two more days...he weighed himself, and had gone from his normal 180lbs. to about 230—in just four days. And that evening, his genitals—as funny as it may sound—were the size of a softball. But it was not funny at all, nor was the swelling even finished. He could not even see his penis, because his scrotum were so swollen that it became totally inverted! And it was soooo painful. And all of this within just five short days. He had gained another 30lbs; his weight having increased from 180lbs. to 260 within just7 days...and without him even eating anything!

It was soon after, that it was determined he contracted Hepatitis—Chronic Hepatitis “B” as he later found out; a disease of the blood which attacks the liver and could lead to cancer or even complete liver failure, and therefore death. He did not know how he got this disease, but he is gay—and he learned from doctors that individuals who engage in unprotected gay sex and/or sex with someone—anyone—who has, or may have, traveled outside of the country (both of which pertained to him) will put a person at particularly high-risk. He says there is, also, his bisexual past to consider—that time when he was engaging in promiscuous sex with people of both genders...and even shared the bed of a girl who was addicted to heroin.

He now says that all of this pain was worth it. If that was the price he needed to pay in order to be diagnosed, then it was worth it! Because now he is able to be fully treated for a virus that he was carrying around with him for about 10 years before he was even diagnosed with the disease. He believes that is a long time to be walking around... able to infect others and not even know it. “Able to drop dead before you even know what hit you, or able to even get cancer—even though you don’t smoke”.

K. J. believes he is very lucky to now have the care he needed and to be under the supervision of a team of treating physicians who actually care about educating him on his illness, and can help him vaccinate others in his household from additional forms of this disease, and physicians that are helping him to keep control of this ailment and manage his care...and all from what started as one trip to the Waikiki Health Center, before he even had any insurance.

Ask to hear K.J. Schroeder, Jr., as he is now giving back to his community by telling his story to others. He is trying to encourage others to get tested and vaccinated for hepatitis B before it is too late.

(Special Note: While he is not co-infected with HIV, many people with HIV that have been vaccinated to protect them from getting hepatitis B may need to be tested at least one month after receiving the third vaccination injection. Up to 35% of people with HIV who were vaccinated for hepatitis B may not have the needed Hep B anti-bodies that would protect them from being infected with Hep B. Most physicians are not testing them after completion of their vaccination series.)

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KAHU TOM VAN CULIN, Vicar at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Judd Street off of Nu’uanu Avenue.

- A True People's Advocate from our Faith Community! Speaks from the Heart to our Faith communities and others. He has helped a person with Hepatitis C to obtain treatment when a number of physicians had already told the individual they would not treat them because the extent of their cirrhosis of the liver was too advanced to be treated. He tells his story of faith and why he became interested in helping people with Hepatitis C and those in need of treatment. This is an important story that all of us can be inspired by.

We all need inspiration. Ask for him to speak and become inspired by this Kanaka Maoli and Human Right's advocate!

{Vicar Van Culin has also spoken on:
Issues in “Hawaiian and Polynesian Theology: The Freedom of a Hawaiian Theologian” and “Global Christianities in Comparative Perspective: A Colloquium”
(UH April 13 – 16, 2006)}

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KAY BAUMAN, MD, Medical Director at the Dept. of Public Safety.

KAY BAUMAN, MD, is nationally known as an expert on Hepatitis C treatment within the prison system. As Medical Director, she is responsible for all treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in our Prison system. She is also a Professor at the University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Med., Areas of medical expertise include community acquired infectious disease such as hepatitis C, STDs, hepatitis A and B, HIV, immunizable diseases, etc.; chronic care management, cross-cultural medicine, and public health.

Kay's expertise concerning Hepatitis C in the prisons is a very important issue because 25 to 30% of the prisoners, who have requested to be tested for hepatitis C, are positive and appear to have been infected in the past before entering Hawai`i's prison system.

She maintains the research data on the numbers of prisoners who test positive for hepatitis C, who are treated for HCV, who responds to treatment and speaks at national conferences about these issues and concerns.

We are privileged to have her as one of the faculty on our Speakers’ Bureau. Please request her for your staff’s training. She is available to discuss any of the issues listed in her extensive background.

Education: University of Michigan for BS, MS in Microbiology and MD; Tulane for MPH. Board certified in Family Practice. She has also been the Dean of Students at JABSOM, co-chair of Dept. of Family Practice at JABSOM; faculty at the University of Arizona Dept. of Family Medicine; and a physician in under served areas such as in migrant health.

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KENNETH TERUYA AKINAKA, MRA, Exec. Dir. and co-founder of Hepatitis Prevention, Education, Treatment, and Support Network of Hawai`i, Project Director of Hepatitis Hale, and a co-facilitator of HepCats, Hepatitis C & B Support Group, has been one of the leading speakers and advocates for early intervention, testing, and treatment of Hepatitis B & C in Hawai`i.

He successfully completed treatment for Hepatitis C in April 2004 and has been a patient advocate since 1993. He has worked in Addiction medicine for over 30 yrs. and was the Corporate Compliance Officer/Quality Improvement Director as well as a Clinic Director of large substance abuse programs in California before moving back to Hawai`i in 2001. He was on the Drug Advisory Board and the Homeless Commission in San Francisco and is now on the Statewide Independent Living Council (SLIC) Commission of Hawai`i. He has also produced and spoken at a number of National Hepatitis Conferences.

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KEVIN WONG, Youth Outreach Project (YO) reaches out to homeless teens that have substance abuse problems and/or work in the sex industry.

He will discuss the risk factors of HIV and Hepatitis that many of them are being exposed to today and what can be done about it.

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KIRK UECHI, Liver Transplant recipient, advocate, and artist.

Kirk was born in Hilo and raised in Honolulu. At the age of 13, he moved to Okinawa when his father was assigned there as a civil service employee.

After graduating from a military dependent high school in Okinawa, he went to Southern California where he attended classes at Santa Ana
College and at Cal State Fullerton majoring in art education.

He’s traveled throughout Asia, Europe and the Middle East, the Caribbean and has lived in Seattle for 14 years, Okinawa for 15 years, California for 7 years and Hawaii for 20 years. He’s worked as an illustrator, photo-journalist, food and retail manager and has owned a sound reinforcement company and sports memorabilia shop.

Kirk speaks about his hepatitis C situation and his liver transplant experience. He talks about what he had to go through in order to survive.

He is an inspirational speaker who has been a speaker for the Organ Donor Center of Hawai`i (ODCH) for a number of years and is currently one of the leaders of the American Liver Foundation’s (ALF) new Mentoring Program for people who have recently been diagnosed with Hepatitis B or C.

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MICHELLE RANDOLPH, MD, Gastroenterologist, Assistant Professor of Medicine University of Hawaii, Spark M. Matsunaga, VA Medical Center, is a member of AGA, ASGE, and ACG.

She completed her gastroenterology training at Stanford University Medical Center and moved to Hawai`i in 2005. She currently specializes in the treatment of veterans at the VA Medical Center in Hawai`i with Fernando Ona, MD, and is dedicated to helping infected veterans.

Ask to hear her speak about these “Silent Epidemics” and how they are disproportionately impacting our veterans and our ethnic minority communities!

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NAOKY TSAI, MD, Medical Director, Liver Center, St. Francis Medical Center, and Medical Director, Liver Transplant Program at the Center. He is also a Professor of Medicine and Chief, Section of Hepatobiliary Disease, Division of Gastroenterology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai`i, Manoa.

Dr. Tsai is considered by many people to be the “God Father” of the treatment of hepatitis and liver diseases in Hawai`i. He is one to the foremost experts on these diseases in Hawai`i and is experienced in treating people with chronic liver diseases and their complications. His clinic is the oldest and largest hepatitis and liver disease clinic in Hawai`i with over 700 patients. He also is one of the few Hepatologist in Hawai`i and is well known for his expertise with liver diseases.

Hawai`i now has the highest rate of liver cancer in the USA. Dr. Tsai likes to talk about anything you would like to know about liver health and liver diseases. Dr. Tsai is especially knowledgeable about chronic viral hepatitis B, liver cancer and their impact on Asian & Pacific Islanders.

We are fortunate to have him as a member of our speakers’ bureau. Ask for Dr. Tsai to speak to your staff, clients and/or medical practitioners!

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NOVA LEI, an AIDS Awareness Advocate, has been a Benefit Events Producer, Entertainer and Supporter of Community Benefit Events for over 17 years since he was diagnosed with HIV in 1989.

Nova Lei Gonzales was born in Honolulu and raised in Kailua where he graduated from Kailua High in 1963. He produces "Just a Little Nova" Aids Isn't Over, a Television Program keeping HIV & AIDS in the forefront here in Hawai`i Nei.

This Program airs on 'Olelo Community Television and includes segments on HIV-Awareness, Education, Prevention, Outreach, Clinical Research, Exercise, Nutrition Alternative Healing and Statistical Information.

Nova Lei’s Passion has been to share his Kapuna Knowledge and Experiences regarding his longevity with HIV & AIDS through a Positive Belief System, Spiritual Acknowledgment, Love of Self, Adherence to HIV/AIDS regimens, Coping with side effects, The Importance of Family Acceptance & Support and The Perpetuation of the "Spirit of Aloha."

Nova Lei will be our new Master of Ceremonies for many of our presentations in the future. He is full of energy and knows many of the Kanaka Maoli performers in Hawai`i Nei. Our trainings and community educational presentations will often blend Cultural Education, Substance Abuse, Mental Health and Infectious Disease information in the future.

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RAY SCANLAN is a 66 yr. old Caucasian / Polynesian / American Indian and he is a Liver Transplant Recipient speaker. He is married and retired.

Born on 05/01/40 in Pago Pago, Tutuila, American Samoa. He is a former Honolulu Police Officer. He retired after 25 yrs. with the Motion Picture Industry in Honolulu, Hawai`i.

On Nov. 19, 2005, Ray had a liver transplant. Within the first month after the transplant he had his first signs of having liver rejection even though he was taking 25 pills a day including anti-rejection medications.

At the end of the second month of being out of the hospital, he says he was told that he had just had his second liver rejection and, if he got one more, he would be “gone”.

When he heard this, he says that he was devastated and his spirit sank to an all-time low. After he returned home, he got on his knees and prayed to his Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, and when he was done praying, He sat back on the chair feeling relived of the heavy pressure. He thanked the Lord Jesus for taking away this “Unreal” pressure.

In about 15 minutes, his prayers were answered. Hear his testimony. Ask to hear him in your presentation as one of the speakers about the impact that hepatitis B & C can have on peoples’ lives and how they learned to cope with these deadly diseases.

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"SUNNY" MEDEIROS, Hawaii Certified Peer Specialist/Consultant (HCPS) for mental illness who specializes in substance abuse issues; Graduate of the BRIDGES program and, Facilitator of her own Self-Help Support Groups since 2001. She now runs two support groups at the Queen's Day Treatment Center for Consumer's of the program who are either in treatment and/or graduates of the program and, the Hawaii Certified Peer Specialist Support Group .

Sunny is a strong advocate in the community promoting awareness in the ongoing process of the meaning of HOPE, STRENGTH, and the true meaning of RECOVERY by telling her own personal story and struggles about her mental illness and substance abuse, by also integrating her cultural experience with her audience. She has been recognized for inspiring many consumer's and clinicians to not give up hope on their partnership in making RECOVERY possible for all. Her most recent talks have been at the 2004 December Consumer's Conference, 2005 2nd Annual EBP Best Practice Conference, and the DDA Meetings.

She has assisted the Adult Mental Health Division in implementing three of the six Evidence Based Practice programs mandated by law (Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment, Illness Management Self-Directed Recovery, and Medication Algorithm) into the clinics.

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SUSAN “SHOSHANA” HANNEMANN is a coinfected HIV/HCV survivor of over 25 years.

Two of her four children were born infected with the HIV virus. The older of those two has never been ill and is now the mother of two negative children. The younger passed after his second bout with an AIDS related cancer.

Susan had been involved with education, advocacy and prevention since 1990 and has appeared in numerous videos, including a production made in conjunction with Channel 4 UK, titled Playing Nintendo With God. She currently manages the office for a non-profit, does hospice volunteer work and is enrolled as a full time student working on a nursing degree. She would like to become a hospice nurse.

Although her interests are many and varied, in her talks she likes to focus on “overcoming adversity and women's and family issues” directly related to these diseases.

Of high priorities are:
1) how HIV/HCV affects the family and
2) the effects/affects of these viruses on the family and its dynamics when one or more family member is infected.

Another topic of interest to her is the “stigma” attached to these diseases and the idea that how one became infected is not (or ought not) enter into play.

Become inspired by a true survivor of over 25 years and a women’s rights and HIV/AIDS advocate!

ASK FOR SHOSHANA TO SPEAK AT YOUR FACILITY, CIVIC GROUP, OR FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION TODAY.

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TARQUIN COLLIS, M.D., Chief of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Kaiser Permanente, specializes in Hepatitis C, HIV infection, as well as general Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Collis was born and raised on O'ahu. As an undergraduate he attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, as well as Oxford University in England, receiving a B.A. in English Literature. He then attended Cornell Medical College in New York City, before completing an Internal Medicine Internship and Residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. A fellowship in Infectious Diseases followed at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he attained a Master's Degree in Epidemiology.

In 2001 he returned to O'ahu to work at Kaiser Permanente. In 2004, he founded Kaiser's Hepatitis C Clinic, which he currently directs. He is married, with 3 daughters, and lives in Kailua, where he's a busy father and an avid surfer.

Topics of interest, from a speaker's bureau standpoint, include Hepatitis C and HIV/Hep C coinfection.

Dr. Collis is an excellent lecturer and is able to speak to your clients and patients and/or to your Social Workers, Counselors, Outreach Healthcare Workers, Nurses and/or Physicians. His presentations are interesting and enjoyable to hear with State-of-the-Art information.

Ask for Dr. Tarquin Collis one of Hawai`i’s own who is a leader on the cutting edge of medicine in Kaiser Permanente’s Healthcare System!

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WES YAMAMOTO, President, Hawaii Chapter of the American Liver Foundation, Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and Vice President - Investments at Wachovia Securities.

Wes was involved in a tragic near death accident in 1985 that resulted in the loss of his left leg. He was in the hospital for 3 months with no health insurance so when he returned to Hawaii in 1986, he had no choice but to ask for welfare assistance. During the operations on his leg, he received blood transfusions and contracted Hepatitis C. He went through Interferon treatment in the early 1990s and has been in remission after his first treatment. He felt so grateful, so he decided to get the ball rolling to establish a Hawaii Chapter of the American Liver Foundation and he serves as the Chapter's first President.

Topics: Wes shares his inspirational story about his experience and more importantly the transformation from someone who took everything for granted to someone who does not take anything for granted. From welfare to Vice President of Investments, from hepatitis C positive to treatment and remission, from being disabled to being a MOVER and SHAKER in the Financial World in Hawai`i, and from despair to Hope!

ASK TO HEAR HIS INSPRIATIONAL STORY TODAY AND LEARN ABOUT THESE “SILENT EPIDEMICS” THAT WILL CAUSE LIVER DISEASE AND LIVER CANCER IN MORE PEOPLE IN HAWAI`I IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS UNLESS PEOPLE ARE TESTED AND TREATED!!!

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DANNY LOPES, SR., Composer and singer.

Special Cultural Entertainment by Danny Lopes, Sr. (Composer of A Part of Me, A Part of You)

DANNY LOPES, Sr., would visit the hospitals and sing for the patients. The Late and Great "Uncle" Moe Keale was visiting his nephew, Brudah Iz Kamakawiwaole, in the hospital and heard Danny singing the song "A Part Of Me, A Part Of You" (The Hospital Song) down the hall. He told Danny he wanted to record it and that he would make it famous. The rest is history.....

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Complete Multicultural & Diversity Entertainment, Education &/or Resources List: Calvin Castaneda, Danny Lopes, Sr., Jade Louie, Max Louie, Michael Keale, NovaLei Gonalzes, Peter Lonoae`a & Terrance Tiwanak

Audio/Visual: Ken Thomas

Internet Networking: Da Coconut Wireless (Scott Orton)

Photography/Video: Alba Hall, NovaLei Gonzales, Scott Orton

Everyone, who gives of their Mana and time on our Speakers' Bureau, is an activist that is trying to help improve the healthcare in Hawai`i.

We are all on a "Mission". That "Mission" is to "Help Save Lives". After you attend one of our Free Presentations, We Hope that You will join us on that Mission!

Complete Speakers’ Bureau Faculty List:
Alan Tice, MD, Celcia Ona, Psych., Fernando Ona, MD, Kay Bauman, MD, Michelle Randolph, MD, Naoky Tsai, MD, Susan Fraser, MD, Tarquin Collis, MD, Calvin Griffin, Eddie Ochoa, Eileen Vail, Heather Lusk, Jackie Taylor, Janice Nillias, Jessie Ann Farias-Yokoyama, vicar Kahu Tom Van Culin, Keith Uechi, Ken Akinaka, Kevin Wong, NovaLei Gonzales, Shosana Hannemann and Wesley Yamamoto.

Hepatitis, HIV, and other Infectious Diseases in Hawai`i Speakers’ Bureau 2007

Free Special Presentations For Your Congregation, Members, Staff and Clients.

Hepatitis Network of Hawai`i Speakers’ Bureau List:

Presentations that are available in 2006

See these Important links for more Information & Resources: