May is National Hepatitis awareness month according to http://HepB.org. Susan Dale's family is passionate about racing and they are passionate about creating awareness about Hepatitis C. It’s been three years since the Dale family discovered that Hepatitis C was spreading faster than HIV/AIDS (HepB.org) and little was being done in making people aware of this silent killer. They knew something had to be done and, in spite of the daunting task ahead of them, they took on the challenge.
Tulsa, OK (PRWEB) May 14, 2012
Susan Dale says It all began when her brother, Allen Dale, reconnected with a high school friend on Facebook. He had no idea that a simple friendly request would start a family crusade involving hepatitis C awareness.
Allen didn’t know anything about Hepatitis C and responded much like the general public asking, “Isn’t there a shot for that"? Allen wanted to alleviate his lack of knowledge about the epidemic. Since his curiosity had been peaked, he began an Internet search for more information.
After reading material supplied by his friend Janel and information on the internet, Allen knew he needed to spread awareness for everyone to “Get Tested for Hepatitis C”. "What better way to spread the message than by driving 100 miles per hour on a race track in front of 60,000 racing fans and countless people watching on television?"
Allen contacted Susan for suggestions on getting the message out. Susan is a stand-up comedian and has a small production company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Part of her work is producing public service announcements. Allen told Susan about the message he was putting on the side of his race car and she had to ask him,”Why hepatitis C?”
Allen informed Susan that Hepatitis C was spreading faster than the HIV/AID virus. Susan was shocked. None of her doctors ever suggested she get tested for Hepatitis C. Within her own family, Susan says, "Events in our lives that could have exposed us to this disease. My older brother has been in a number of racing accidents that resulted in injuries, from crushed feet and legs to a broken neck and back. He had countless surgeries, particularly in the years before blood was screened. We’ve all worked on the race track where blood exposure is a common occurrence, and we never though about gloves. Even Allen had surgery in 1997 to have a kidney removed. And like many women, I get my nails done occasionally by a manicurist. More importantly, in my own research, I discovered that a large number of people with Hepatitis C have no idea how they were infected with the virus."
They started their campaign with a simple PSA and now have expanded their campaign to display the car at every event where they go. From racing events, local fairs, even simply pulling into a large parking lot and displaying the race car with the message on the side of the car and trailer. Within minutes people start gathering around the car. They are overwhelmed with the amount of supporters from the people at the racetrack and within the communities. Several families have approached the Dale's to share their experiences with hepatitis C. They are always surprised by the stories they hear and the misinformation and social stigma about the disease. Susan says, "We want hepatitis C to be a common health topic of conversation. Our message is simple, “Get Tested for Hepatitis C.”'
For more information about the Dales’ campaign contact:
Susan Dale
918-640-8924
Lynnbaxterstudios(at)gmail(dot)com
Susan recently joined The Venture Network in Tulsa, OK, a Social Media-Based Business Referral Network to help her get her message out.
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