The boomers ' disease

Liver disease may affect as many as a quarter of Canadians – and it’s on the rise. One of the most common forms is Hepatitis C –the so-called Boomers’ Disease because of its high rate of prevalence in this cohort. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.

- CAITLIN AGNEW

THIS WAS THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF DEATH WHEN MY FATHER passed away in 2006, just two days after his 56th birthday. While several of his organs had shut down by that point, the source of his complicated illness can be traced back to a single one: his liver. Liver disease may affect as many as one in four Canadians. I use the word “may” because many affected are unaware that they even have the disease. The symptoms are so stealthy that decades could go by before developing any telltale signs, like jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes that occurs when the liver is unable to properly secrete bile. In the case of hepatitis C, between 40 and 70 percent of those affected are undiagnosed. Of those who have been diagnosed, between two-thirds and three-quarters are baby boomers. One of them was my dad.