Julie’s Story

English

Fourteen years before her husband died, Julie and her husband returned home from Vietnam with a newly adopted 5-month-old daughter, who was shortly after diagnosed with hepatitis B. Julie’s daughter was in and out of the hospital for two years. Although Julie worried, she and her husband kept her daughter’s condition to themselves due to fear of stigmatization and social exclusion. At about age seven, Julie’s daughter started a new treatment, and she began to get better. As Julie’s daughter grew older, eventually graduating from high school, she reached what doctors referred to as a “functional cure.” Prior to her husband’s death, Julie’s husband would take her daughter to her viral load test. After his passing, it was Julie’s responsibility, but she began to worry about who would take care of her daughter after she passed. Thankfully, Julie found support through the Hepatitis B Foundation, which promised to be there for her daughter no matter what happens.

Discussion Questions and Answers:

Why did Julie and her husband keep their daughter’s hepatitis B diagnosis a secret for so many years?
(They were advised that disclosing her status could lead to stigma, and as older parents of a child adopted from another country, they already felt different. To protect their daughter from further isolation or discrimination, they kept her diagnosis private—even from her at first.)

What challenges did Julie face as a caregiver, especially after her husband passed away?
(Julie had been supported by her husband, who took their daughter for monthly monitoring. After his passing, she felt overwhelmed and afraid—questioning whether she could manage her daughter’s care alone and what would happen when she was no longer there.)

What gave Julie peace of mind about her daughter’s future living with hepatitis B?
(Finding community and support through the Hepatitis B Foundation reassured her. Knowing there are people and resources in place to support her daughter beyond her own lifetime gave Julie comfort, connection, and lasting hope.)

#justB Savvy