Liver Patient Summit – Memphis, TN
Memphis, TN (February 25, 2024): The Mid-South Liver Alliance is excited to educate 80 liver patients, caregivers and family members attending our Liver Patient Summit at the University of Memphis UC center, Rooms 300 and 304 at 499 University Memphis, TN. Liver disease affects over 100 million Americans.
Chronic liver failure is a slow decline in liver function that occurs alongside cirrhosis, or severe scaring of the liver. Cirrhosis may be caused by excess alcohol intake, hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, bile duct diseases and various hereditary conditions. There are over 100 million individuals in the US that are estimated to have nonalcoholic Fatty liver Disease.
Diabetes and Obesity are the main causes of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and in the south with our eating and working out habits we have over 9 million people with NAFLD and 30% of those have NASH which leads to scarring and cirrhosis of the liver. The south has many rural areas and not enough Hepatologist (doctors who focus on liver disease) in those areas. Our program is to build awareness and education for patients and primary care doctors so they can help slow the progression of the disease.
The Summit will begin at 9am (registration at 830am) and will go till 3pm in the afternoon. We are fortunate to have Robert Mitchell-Thain, CEO of the PBC Foundation in Scotland. An advocate and service provider, Robert focuses on support, counseling and coaching to help patients navigate the care system and self-management. We are also excited to have Lorrinda Gray-Davis who is the President of TRIO and will be sharing her journey and passion for patient advocacy Other topics for the day will include: nutritional information, chronic liver disease update, exercises for a healthy liver and a transplant pre and post discussion, as well as a discussion on being your own best advocate.
During the day we will have several patients that will share their journey with liver disease to help those that are new to know they are not alone. We will have several Q & A opportunities and look forward to getting patients up to date on chronic liver disease.
