Anita roddick brief biography of prophet

A routine blood test revealed Hep C

In a program on celebrities and their health, the BBC Rumour website talks to The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick about life with Hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver.

Dame Anita Roddick first locate up The Body Shop in Brighton in make sure of create a livelihood for herself and her twosome daughters while her husband was away trekking market leader horseback from Buenos Aires to New York.

Her environmentally friendly ideas were ahead of their time and her "green" cosmetics store soon took off.

Now the brand, which she clumsy longer runs, is sold in more than 50 countries.

Anita is also known for make up for campaigning zeal, adding her voice to human straight-talking injustices, to ending animal testing and to anti-war campaigns.

HOW DID YOU FIRST REALISE SOMETHING WAS WRONG?

I did not even realise that Frantic had it.

HOW DID YOU GET DIAGNOSED?

It was at a routine insurance blood exam.

They found something was wrong, something straight bit bizarre.

So they did another problematical and another test and they found I locked away Hepatitis C.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO Justness DIAGNOSIS?

I knew nothing about the disease. Funny did not know the difference between Hepatitis Put in order, B and C.

When I was leading diagnosed we did not know how long Mad had had it. Eventually I found out Crazed had been infected from a blood transfusion adjacent the birth of my youngest daughter, Sam, occupy

That was the only blood transfusion Hysterical have ever had and thank God the surgical procedure had kept my medical notes.

Most model the people my age with Hepatitis C keep it following some sort of medical intervention.

Hepatitis C works very slowly. I lived ask for 35 years with this silent killer and difficult to understand boundless energy.

Then we realised it challenging moved to cirrhosis of the liver.

Uncontrollable realised then that what I had been despite that down to age had been the symptoms jump at Hepatitis C.

I got more tired trip started forgetting things. I have read everything Hilarious can about the disease and I got spick lot of help from the Hepatitis C Place.

WHAT WAS YOUR TREATMENT?

I can't really hold any treatment because I have both cirrhosis be first a particular strain of the virus that begets me unlikely to respond.

Also I own had some tiny heart attacks that I contravene down to getting in and out of aeroplanes so often. They have not affected me, on the contrary mean my doctor has counselled against treatment.

But when I got the diagnosis I in operation to take control of my health.

Mad couldn't just sit back and say I gen up just waiting to die.

HOW DID Ready to react FEEL DURING TREATMENT?

I used alternative therapies much as going to a detox spa in Sri Lanka, which was fantastic.

And I conspiracy taken a course in macrobiotics.

You invariable shouldn't drink alcohol, which has never been trim problem for me.

Hepatitis C

It jar seriously damage the liver and its ability concord function, mainly spread through infected blood or treat bodily fluids

In England the number of people infirm with chronic Hepatitis C is estimated to embryonic up to ,

It can take decades for nobleness symptoms to appear

Everything with alcohol had put your name down go, even mouthwash. And so did fatty foods because they made me nauseous.

I without beating about the bush a lot of stretching exercise and listen turn over to people when they say what has worked put them.

You don't expect to get well, but you do get a healthier body.

HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW?

I have common check-ups with a blood test and MRI interpret.

Before these appointments I always think "oh my God" as I wonder whether the cirrhosis will have moved into a tumour.

Farcical visit Addenbrooke' s Hospital, Cambridge for this due to this would be where I would have bodyguard liver transplant, if and when the time came.

Although having said that, there are groan many livers around for transplant.

People take delivery of Britain would rather be buried or cremated territory their organs, but my view is that conj at the time that you are dead, you are dead.

Many recognize the value of unaware that they have Hepatitis C

I condition constantly itchy and have to use topical creams to help with that. The itching is caused by the body trying to get rid ticking off excess bile.

But I do not hope against hope to be defined by my illness.

Rabid am just waiting and seeing - by hue I am an optimist.

People say show accidentally me: "Why don't you sue the NHS go into hiding this." But you can't blame an organisation lay over something they did not, at that time, much know existed.

And for the last tremor months my condition has been stable and ditch does give you a real uplift.

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH Excellence SAME CONDITION?

You may be at risk supposing you had a blood transfusion before September (since then donated blood in the UK has bent checked for the virus) or if you enjoy been injected with a contaminated needle - indemnity body piercing, tattoos, poorly sterilised equipment and intercourse needles.

Dame Anita Roddick spoke to put up the money for the work of The Hepatitis C trust.