28 September 2022: Panel of Hepatitis B infectees - C

The fourth and final witness for the day had a problem with bleeding during pregnancy resulting in a transfusion of blood. After that she suffered an extended period of significant ill-health. She had very little energy and felt quite depressed. She became pregnant again but at the same time was told there was an exposure to Hepatitis B. There was no discussion about how the infection had come about. Taking her daughter to the hospital she faced a bank of clinicians and nurses in full PPE. Clearly, there was something wrong but she what not told what. Later a son was born, and after that the witness switched vocations by training as a barrister. Her son was very ill at the start, and the witnesses’ health remained poor, still with no explanation. After two years as a barrister, it became clear the demands of that profession were too great, so she switched again this time to become a civil servant. The poor health continued, with lots of time off, exhaustion, fragility and never achieving according to what should have been within her capacity. She was divorced during this time, too. Ill-health has included skin problems, a mis-diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis with strong medication until that was changed to a diagnosis of Fibro-myalgia, then changed again to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, which is at a serious level. Her adult life has been dogged by health problems. Currently, the witnesses’ liver is not in a good way, being cirrhotic. Her life of having to take medication has been hard. Some of the tablets are 60 years old (such as for Parkinson’s). Sometimes It is difficult to get hold of the ones she needs. She has difficulties with side-effects, and it is an ongoing problem trying to find the optimal balance of treatments that work at any time.

Counsel sought to explore the links to her lifetime of health problems as they relate to the HBV infection. The witness described it as a “constant similar nightmare”. It puts a brake on so much of your life, and on the family. There are so many opportunities that have had to be foregone. She has missed events, time with friends, and says she was lucky even to keep the children. The infection was something you could not talk about. Again, insurance has been an issue, and the financial support schemes have not been open to the witness due to the infection being HBV. She was able to carry on working with helpful flexibility being available through the civil service. This kept her and her family going until she took early retirement.

The Chair had no additional questions for the witness.

The witness had nothing to add but simply wanted to thank the Inquiry for the support and information she had been given.

The Chair thanked the witness for coming to give evidence and was glad it turned out to be one of her better health days.

This witness was certainly representative of one of the various types of persons living with an infection that has life-changing and life-limiting consequences. She obviously is, or was, an intelligent, able, energetic, and conscientious soul with a whole life of potential ahead of her including family, career, community, interests, and more. Then the part of the State meant to make you better comes along and makes you far worse. From that point onwards all the aspirations have to be downgraded. The losses suffered by the infected and affected have to include the loss of opportunity to have a normal good life. Where there is a replacement life, it is one that includes more struggle and less fun. Those people who try to make the best of it may manage to do so, but their relative achievements are attained despite, not because of, anything the Government does. Mostly, in the case of the Contaminated Blood Scandal the State doesn’t do anything except make things worse. Where is that in the social contract?