Doreen Stalker

My name is Doreen Stalker and I am the Peer Support person for hepatitis C.

I was born in New Westminister and moved to Smithers in 1946 with my husband and we had three children.  I taught kindergarten for 18 yrs, in Smithers.  I am now retired and a volunteer at the "Positive Living Northwest Society and at the "New to You" were I was presented with the volunteer award.

In 1984 I had open heart surgery, the blood that was given to me during my sugery was tainted with hep C.  I didn't find out until 1997 that I was hep C positive.  I did't know anything about hepatitis C, I felt alone and isolated because of the stigma around hep C.  I started conversations with people all over B.C. and soon had an abundance of information that I could give to anyone that was interested.

With the help of the health unit we started our own hep C newsletter in 2002.  Debbie Schmit and I travelled to quite a few small communties hoping to spark some interest in starting their own support groups.  More than 100 newsletters are mailed away, as far as Vancouver, Victoria, Surrey, Queen Charlottes, Terrace, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Castlegar, Powell River, Campbell River, Houston, Hazelton, Kispiox, and Chase.

* Hepatitis C support meetings

Our support group has a lunch meeting every second Wednesday of each month.  If there is any current information it is given out at the meeting.  We also had several speakers attend our meetings.  I've gone to Vancouver, Prince George, Nanaimo & Cowichan Valley to attend hep C conferences. 

* We set up displays at our local Post Office and other communities that we visit.  For the past five years I have set up a display in our mall, where we also hand out information on Hepatitis C to the public.

* I have also put together several information books anyone can get it. 

* I advertise our meeting buy putting up posters around town.