One in five adults in England may be walking around with liver disease and be completely unaware because there are usually no symptoms in the early stages, warns the British Liver Trust.
The Love Your Liver mobile screening and scanning unit will be visiting 10 liver disease hot spots across England between 24th September and 5th October 2018. The areas have been chosen because they have some of the worst rates for liver-related death and hospital admissions in the UK.
600,000 people in England have a significant degree of liver damage[1] and the British Liver Trust estimates that over 90% of these cases could have been prevented.
Members of the public are invited to the Love Your Liver roadshow where they can assess their risk of getting liver disease, find out what preventative measures they can take to keep their liver healthy and be offered a free liver scan.
Liver disease is the third leading cause of premature death in England & Wales, with over 40 people dying from the disease every day.
Judi Rhys, Chief Executive, British Liver Trust, said, “One in three of us are at risk of getting liver disease. It is a silent killer 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, liver damage is often irreversible. Approximately 20% of the people we scan need to go and have further checks.
“The Love Your Liver roadshow is a great opportunity for people to find out their risk of liver disease and the first one hundred people to attend will receive a free non-invasive scan.”
The British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver campaign focuses on three simple steps to Love Your Liver back to health:
- Drink within recommended limits and have three consecutive days off alcohol every week
- Cut down on sugar, carbohydrates and fat, and take more exercise
- Know the risk factors for viral hepatitis and get tested or vaccinated if at risk
The roadshow comprises a mobile unit where people can take a free online screening test and find out if they are at risk. Free liver health scanning will also be available using a non-invasive device. There will be expert guidance on how to keep your liver healthy from healthcare professionals who will be on hand to provide advice on diet, exercise and healthy living.
Anyone wishing to take advantage of these free events should attend between 10am and 4pm. If you wish to be scanned please arrive early as places are limited. If you can’t attend the event you can still find out if you are at risk and check your liver health online by doing the online screening test at https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/screener
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health
