Fonds F0212 - Hepatitis C Society of Canada fonds

The Hepatitis C Society of Canada (HeCSC) is a non-profit, national voluntary health organization. Its mission is to fight hepatitis C through prevention, early detection, support, appropriate treatment and comfort. It does this through 40 chapters across Canada that offer support groups, local peer counseling, publications and seminars. In addition, mainly through its intervenor status at the Krever Commission, the society advocated for just compensation for those who developed hepatitis C through tainted blood transfusions. HeCSC was founded in May of 1994 by Dr. Alan T.R. Powell of Toronto. The first volunteers started working with the organization in June 1994. By October, chapters were established in Victoria, Edmonton, Regina, Hamilton, Toronto and Ottawa. With the national office open in Toronto and the 1-800 number up and running, HeCSC was providing support and resources for hepatitis C carriers all across Canada and became registered as a charitable organization in January of 1995 and incorporated by Industry Canada as a non-profit group in April of the same year. HeCSC is funded by Health Canada’s National Voluntary Health Organizations and Hepatitis C Division, Ontario Ministry of Health’s Healthy Communities, and donors.