In aid of World Hepatitis Day, Criterion was at Waverley Care’s residential support centre, Milestone, volunteering to support the Waverley Care team with gardening its extensive grounds.
Milestone was the UK’s first purpose-built AIDS hospice and now provides residential service for people living with HIV or hepatitis C, who need support and space to focus on their physical and emotional health at times when they’re struggling to manage.
Gardening is an annual activity for the team, who are always looking for ways to contribute to Waverley Care and make a positive impact for people living with HIV and hepatitis. Recently, the team undertook an epic 145-mile event – made up of walking and cycling, and raised £7,000 for Waverley Care, contributing to the Scottish government’s efforts to reach zero new HIV transmissions in Scotland by 2030 and zero new hepatitis C transmissions by March 2025.
World Hepatitis Day, on 28 July, raises awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and cancer. In 2022, the World Health Organisation reported that 1.3 million people died of chronic hepatitis B or C, an increase from 1.1 million in 2019.
Eleanor Parris, Health Improvement Coordinator at Waverley Care, highlights the importance of a holistic approach to supporting people with hepatitis:
It is crucial to understand how they feel, identify their strengths and support networks, and learn about their survival strategies, beliefs, and coping mechanisms. By recognising their goals and how we can help them achieve these, we adopt a positive approach that identifies the spaces where people find healing.
