Ben Lomond, CA
Diagnosed with Hep C in 2007

My story is short. I had hepatitis C genotype 1a, with a viral load over 2 million. Then I found out about Harvoni. This medication doesn’t just cause a remission; it actually cures hepatitis C. So, I asked my doctor to prescribe Harvoni. It took a few months of jumping through hoops with my insurance company, but finely I got it. I started taking Harvoni on April 15, 2015, and a month later the hepatitis C was undetectable. I am so tickled. I still have a bit longer to go before I will be finished with the 12-week program. My side effects were only fatigue. If there is anyone out there who doesn’t believe it works: It does. Get on it. Get well. And enjoy your life.

What is your greatest achievement?
Having two grown-up children who doing well. Also, being a military vet and serving my country.

What is your greatest regret?
Not staying in the Navy for 14 more years. The military was good for me, and it made me a man. It taught me a great deal, like being responsible for my actions, and to respect people for who they are.

What keeps you up at night?
Sometimes I would lie in bed and freak out about dying. Why do we die? Is there life after death? How am I going to die? Then I found God, and now I understand better about life here and after.

If you could change one thing about living with viral hepatitis, what would it be?
Make sure everyone is aware of it

What is the best advice you ever received?
They found a cure for hep C.

What person in the viral hepatitis community do you most admire?
My sister

What drives you to do what you do?
God

What is your motto?
Love yourself first and everything will fall into place.

If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?
My mother and my dog. They can’t be replaced.

If you could be any animal, what would you be? And why?
A tiger, because they are great hunters and survivors