Jade: Song of Hope is a short documentary film produced by Hep Free Hawai’i and local filmmaker, Alex Bocchieri, to raise awareness about hepatitis C. The film is part of the “Share Our Stories” Film Series showcasing the experiences of at-risk communities in Hawaii.

Jade: Song of Hope is based on the life of Jade Louie, a local musician and her battle against hepatitis C. “The film details how Jade found support from her ohana and her music to deal with this potentially fatal disease,” explained Heather Lusk, the Co-Director of Hep Free Hawaii in a recent press release. Lusk also stated that Song of Hope aims to motivate individuals at-risk of hepatitis C to get screened, and to take advantage of new treatments that can cure the disease.

Watch the full film:

Hepatitis in Hawaii

Hawaii has the highest rate of liver cancer in U.S., and the majority of liver cancer cases in Hawaii are caused by viral hepatitis. An estimated 63,000 persons in Hawaii are currently living with either chronic hepatitis B or C. Hepatitis B and C affect many ethnicities and ages in Hawaii, especially Asians and Pacific Islanders, and baby boomers (born 1945-1965) respectively.

“Most people with hepatitis B or C don’t know that they have it,” stated Heather Lusk, Co-Director of Hep Free Hawaii. “Hepatitis B and C can lead to liver disease, liver cancer, or even death. We hope that these stories will inspire at-risk persons to take action towards addressing hepatitis and preventing liver cancer in their own communities.”

About Hep Free Hawai‘i

Hep Free Hawai‘i is a grassroots coalition of more than eighty organizations whose overall goal is to increase awareness of and access to hepatitis services in Hawaii. For more information about hepatitis in Hawaii, go to www.hepfreehawaii.org or follow @hepfreehawaii on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

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