HBI
Minnesota
FREE health testing, viral hepatitis education and linkage to care services for the underserved communities in the Twin Cities!
Please see Calendar !
Please contact Dan-Tam at dantamhoang@hbi-dc.org for volunteer, vendor or donor opportunities. We are always looking to collaborate!
The Story
HBI-Minnesota is a non-profit that was started in October 2015 to provide free hepatitis B and hepatitis C education, testing and linkage to care for the underserved communities of Minnesota. We offer direct services in locations easily accessible to the community such as churches, temples, mosques, markets, schools and festivals. We also work with community leaders to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate resources for each population.
About Our Logo
The hand represents partnerships, while the bay leaf is a sign of the medical community as it was used as an herb to protect against epidemics. These elements surround the liver to show that everyone needs to work hand in hand to eliminate viral hepatitis!
What is hepatitis?
Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by a virus that is transmitted through blood and body fluids (mother to child during birth, sexual contact, needles and sharing hygienic tools: toothbrushes, nal clippers and razors). Thanks to today's advancements, hepatitis B is preventable (3 rounds of vaccine over 6 months) while hepatitis C is curable! Unfortunately, there is still a stigma (shame/guilt) associated with hepatitis along with many misconceptions. So, those who are affected are afraid to seek help and the disease continues to prevail. Additionally, those who are infected usually do not experience any symptoms which makes the disease a silent killer.
The liver is the largest glandular organ in the body. It acts as a filter to keep the body free from toxins, aids in fat digestion , produces blood clotting factors and processes nutrients. It regrows when damaged and is the reason why individuals do not experience any symptoms until it is too late.
Quick Facts
Hepatitis B (hep B/HBV)
- 1 out of 12 Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are HBV+
- HBV is 50-100 times more contagious than HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
- Hep B immunization is considered the first “anti-cancer vaccine."
Hepatitis C (hep C/HCV)
- More than 75% of HCV+ are baby boomers (born 1945-1965)
- African Americans account for roughly 22% of those HCV+
- Most common chronic bloodborne infection in the US
Staff
Small Heading
Dan-Tam Phan-Hoang’s passion is alleviating health disparities by increasing healthcare awareness and access in underserved populations. As HBI-Minnesota’s Program Manager, she works with community leaders, healthcare providers and government agencies to provide FREE viral hepatitis events!
Dan-Tam graduated with a Master's of Science Degree in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University and a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She also has a graduate certificate in Advanced Biomedical Sciences from George Mason University and is trained in disaster preparedness and certified through FEMA's CERT program (Community Emergency Response Team). She is fluent in Vietnamese and conversational in Spanish.
