Midcoast Hepatitis C/Liver Support Group,
Unique to Midcoast, Meets 1st Wednesdays

Since 2001, the Midcoast Hepatitis C/Liver Support Group has helped patients find doctors, get treatment, clear hepatitis, find funds available for medication, and support each other in many ways.

The group meets the first Wednesday of every month from 7 to 8:30 or 9 p.m. in Conference Room D in the Physicians Building on the PBMC campus in Rockport.

The support group was organized by Paul Quijano and his wife, Meg. Paul received a living donor liver transplant from his brother. Paul is now in good health and continues to lead the group.

The group's core of 10-plus members has continued to attend even after clearing hepatitis C or receiving an organ.

"My wife, Jill, was diagnosed with primary biliary cirrhosis in 1991," said Dennis Corkum, a member of the group. "On March 11, 2007 she received a liver and kidney at the Lahey Clinic. She is doing well and we are truly lucky and grateful. It took us a while to get up the nerve to attend the group as we are not 'group' people. We have now been going for over five years and cannot begin to tell the benefits we have received. I quickly learned that support for the caregiver is just as important as it is for the patient. Interacting with people who are going through or have experienced what you are going through is tremendously helpful."

Corkum is concerned that the group does not reach enough people who need help. The only other active liver support group in Maine is run by Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Most of the group's members are patients of Dr. Neil Smith, who is supportive of the group and has spoken at its meetings.

For more information, call Dennis Corkum at 596-5760 or Paul Quijano at 236-4720.

Penobscot Bay Medical Center is a member of the Pen Bay Healthcare family of services, which includes Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, Quarry Hill Retirement Community, the Knox Center for Long Term Care and the Mid-Coast Mental Health Center. Through these organizations, and a staff of more than 100 outstanding physicians and more than 1,700 healthcare professionals, we are able to provide members of our community with a continuum of care from birth throughout their lives. For more information, please visit www.penbayhealthcare.org.