Love Your Liver unit offers mobile advice
A MOBILE unit is visiting Portsmouth to allow people to find out their risk of liver disease.
The British Liver Trust has teamed up with Portsmouth CityCouncilandtheUniversity of Southampton to bring their Love Your Liver unit to Commercial Road in Portsmouth from 9am to 4pm on Friday to raiseawarenessandfindthose at risk of liver disease.
Portsmouth has a significant liver disease crisis with one of the highest rates of liver disease-relatedhospitaladmissions in the south east.
Around 90 per cent of liver disease is preventable and if caught at an early stage, it can often be reversed.
However,three-quartersof people diagnosed with cirrhosis are found when it is too late and one in four people diagnosed late in hospital die within a couple of months.
Pamela Healy, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, said: ‘One in five of us are at risk of liver disease and the numbers of people being diagnosed have been increasing at an alarming rate during the pandemic.
‘Liver damage develops silently with no signs or symptoms and people often don’t realise they have a problem until it is too late.’
Councillor Matthew Winnington, in charge of health and wellbeing at Portsmouth City Council, said: ‘Having the roadshow visit Commercial Road provides a valuable opportunity for Portsmouth residents to find out their risk of liver disease and get expert advice–whichcouldsavetheir lives.’
The first 100 people to attend will receive a free noninvasive scan. There will be expert guidance on how to keep your liver healthy, with advice on diet, exercise and healthy living.