Nicki Ung (pictured, at left) of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) Los Angeles Lodge facilitated efforts to bring attention to this epidemic that impacts the Chinese American community of Southern California, perhaps the population in the United States that is more vulnerable to exposure to Hepatitis B. According to Asian Pacific Liver Center (APLC), half of the known carriers of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the U.S. are people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. In some Pacific Rim countries, as many as 10 percent to 20 percent of the population are Hepatitis B carriers and approximately one million people worldwide die every year from Hepatitis B because they are diagnosed with the disease too late. Without early detection and treatment, 25 percent of people infected with Hepatitis B die from liver cancer or cirrhosis.

Participation in the booth efforts included:

• Business Development Center of Pacific Asian Consortium for Employment (PACE)
• Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) Los Angeles Lodge
• Next Generation Group/Eng Family Benevolent Association of Los Angeles

• Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association (APAMSA): Alina Wong. Minh-Vu Nguyen, Vicky Chiang and Steve Zhang
• Next Generation Group/Eng Family Benevolent Association of Los Angeles: Darren Ng, Janice Chow-Ng, Jason Ng and Cathy Eng
• The Cal State University L.A. Chapter of Beta Omega Phi: William Lam, Bruce Lien, Po Wai, Eric Tan and Edward Chu
• The Cal State University Long Beach Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega Rho Gamma: Jonathan Yung and Jamie De Rosas
• Karen Lee
• Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) Los Angeles Lodge: Munson Kwok, Suellen Cheng, Winston Wu, Anthony Kuo, Doreen Wong, Jonathan Quach, Danny Huang, Paul Chang, O.C. Lee and Elizabeth Wong

• Koy S. Parada, PhDc, MPH, lecturer, UCLA School of Public Health
• Andy Tien, president of pre-med APAMSA at UCLA
• Catherine Westling, therapeutic specialist II, Gilead
• Asian Pacific Liver Center/St. Vincent Medical Center

Visit the following websites for more facts about the disease:

• Asian Liver Center: liver.stanford.edu
• Asian Pacific Liver Center St. Vincent Medical Center: asianpacificlivercenter.org
• National Institute of Health (NIH): digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hepb_ez/index.htm