Programs About Liver Disease

This program provides an overview of liver health and wellness, with an emphasis on how to keep one’s liver healthy as well as setting specific plans to maximize liver health by changing unhealthy lifestyles. The program includes information about the liver, action steps that one can take to maximize their liver health, prevent liver disease and live a long, healthy life.  This is a versatile program that can stand alone or be used as part of a corporate wellness series. It can be used as a “Lunch and Learn” for civic organizations, library groups or anywhere healthy living programs are needed. It is meant to increase awareness and the importance of the liver, to understand that liver health is a way of life and to ultimately understand that optimum health is your choice. This program can be customized to fit the time constraints of most organizations.

This series of programs is an interactive liver wellness education program targeted to elementary, middle, high school and college students. There are 3 age appropriate presentations. The program educates students about the liver and actions that they can take to maximize liver health and ultimately prevent liver disease. It can be held in school and after-school settings as well as venues such as camps, community organizations and organizations that work with various age groups on a local, state or national level.

Love Your Liver, Elementary School (Level 1) is an age appropriate program for grades 3 through 5. Students will learn about the causes of liver disease and action steps that they can follow to prevent them. The format style is presented in a simple and discrete manner. The program also includes a number of interactive activities that can be integrated, time permitting.

Love Your Liver, Middle School (Level 2) educates middle school students about the liver and its functions, ways to take care of it, different types of liver diseases and their risk factors and most importantly prevention tips. Also included are photos of an actual liver as well as graphics that depict the progression of liver disease.

Teens to Twenties: Liver Wellness Guide was created specifically for high school and college aged students. This presentation covers all of the issues covered in the Middle School version however in much more depth. This program also deals with social problems and lifestyle issues of today’s youth. It covers the risks of alcohol and binge drinking, drugs, including information on street, over-the-counter and prescriptions drugs, information on acetaminophen, the most common misused over-the-counter drug today, tattooing and body piercings, sexual behavior, and viral hepatitis. There are photos of a healthy and cirrhotic liver as well as the progression of liver disease and other graphics reinforcing some of the major issues presented.

Once a student has participated in this program, s/he will have a greater understanding of the liver’s importance and will take the necessary steps to maximize their liver health and prevent the further spread of liver disease. It is the American Liver Foundation’s hope that students will share their knowledge with family and friends, resulting in playing an active role in impacting the liver health of all those around them.

This is an education program targeted to individuals who either have or are at risk for viral hepatitis, especially for the hepatitis C virus. The program educates participants about the liver, liver disease (including the differences between hepatitis A, B and C), risk factors, prevention, current treatment options, disease management strategies, and disease impact. Local resources are provided as well as educational materials.

These programs are conducted at community-based organizations that serve this “at risk” population, including drug treatment facilities, clinics, hospitals, correctional institutions, homeless shelters, drop-in centers, support groups, or senior centers.

This program provides an urgent overview to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, a condition estimated to affect between 30 – 40% of American adults and as many as 10% of children.  This program covers the important role of the liver in body, and discussed the vital link between obesity and fatty liver, including lifestyle choices that can reduce risk of serious long-term complications such as cirrhosis and liver failure and liver cancer.  This program is an ideal piece in a series of liver health and wellness presentations.

This program focuses on the short and long-term impact of alcohol on the liver.  It addresses the impact of U.S. culture on our alcohol consumption habits, the difference between alcohol use, abuse, binge drinking, addiction and dependence, and how the liver is physically impacted.  It is intended to spark discussion among audience members about their own patterns of alcohol use, and encourage thoughtful consideration alcohol in our culture.  This program is ideal for student groups, campus orientations, substance treatment programs, and community education activities.

Ask the Experts educational programs provide those living with liver disease and their caretakers a unique opportunity to learn more about their conditions directly from experts on various topics.  They usually include a presentation followed by a Q & A where participants have the chance to ask questions that they may not have time to get answered at doctor’s appointments or they are afraid to ask. Topics are different at every program and may include: liver wellness, viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, NASH/NAFLD, cirrhosis, autoimmune liver diseases, pediatric conditions, and diet/nutrition.

Find an Ask the Experts program near you.