February 18, 2014
MAP for Health partnered with Quest Diagnostics to create a mural for the South Cove Community Health Center on Feb. 18 in an effort to raise awareness for hepatitis. The mural continues MAP for Health and Quest Diagnostics’s efforts from World Hepatitis Day on July 28, 2013, which set a Guinness world record for the number of people who participated in spreading the 2013 World Hepatitis Alliance campaign theme, “See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.”
Hepatitis B is the leading cause of hepatic cancer, and more people should be concerned about this growing problem, said Salim Kabawat, MD, New England regional clinical pathology medical director.
To paint the panels, Andrea Machado, MAP for Health program manager for Asian Pride, organized a team of dedicated community members to participate in the project. Community members were invited to add their own brush strokes to the mural during the World Hepatitis Day event in 2013 at Chinatown Park.
“Youth come from all across Boston to take advantage of the safe space of the center to participate in sex-positive discussion and education,” she said.
Bright acrylic paints were used to create the mural. Volunteers took particular pride in carrying on the message of the three monkeys – that of See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil – a motto that MAP for Health Managing Director, Josephine Tsui, explained symbolizes the lack of awareness about hepatitis.
The mural will be on permanent display at the South Cove Community Health Center as a constant reminder to doctors and patients alike of why hepatitis cannot be silenced.
Kenny Sui-Fung Yim 