March 19, 2008 > Jade Ribbon Week in Fremont Jade Ribbon Week in Fremont By Bosky Panjvani The official symbol for hepatitis B and liver cancer awareness is the Jade Ribbon, which represents good luck and health. Folded in the form of the Chinese symbol for "people," the ribbon indicates that people worldwide will unite against this disease. Fremont, Union City, Newark, Milpitas, Cupertino, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Campbell, Saratoga, and Los Gatos are celebrating Jade Ribbon Week from March 16 - 22. People who have not received vaccination for Hepatitis B are susceptible and this is especially important for immigrants from Asian countries who have a higher probability of contracting Hepatitis B. Unfortunately, symptoms of this disease are usually not visible until later stages making treatment difficult. It is fatal in one in four people afflicted. Stanford University's Asian Liver Center (ALC) is focused on research and raising public awareness of this deadly affliction. The Jade Ribbon Youth Council of ALC, a group of 14 high school students, is hosting fundraisers and informational sessions during Jade Ribbon Week. Informational sessions at libraries, display cases, information booths at schools and free screenings for Hepatitis B will all be part of the group's activities. They are organizing a fundraiser at Tapioca Express in Fremont on Driscoll Avenue on Wednesday and Thursday, March 19 - 20. Coupons for this fundraiser are available at the Fremont Main Library and distributed in high schools. Ten percent of the proceeds from purchases made from these coupons will go toward the Asian Liver Center. An informational session on Hepatitis B including a screening of the movie, "Another Life" will be held in the Fukaya Room at the Fremont Main Library on Saturday, March 22, from 1 - 3 p.m. It will be a bilingual - English and Mandarin - session. There are informational display cases and brochures at libraries in cities where Jade Ribbon week is observed. The Asian Liver Center is also organizing a 5k run at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on Saturday, May 10. Participants of all ages can be a part of this event. Registration for this event is done on the Asian Liver Center website, and the first 500 to register will get a free t-shirt. For more information, call the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University at (650) 725-4837, or visit them at http://liver.stanford.edu. Jade Ribbon Fundraiser Wednesday & Thursday, March 19 - 20 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. Tapioca Express 1964 Driscoll Rd., Fremont (510) 979-0788 Hepatitis B Information Session Saturday, March 22 1 - 3 p.m. Fremont Main Library's Fukaya Room 2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont (510) 745-1400 Free Hepatitis B Screenings: Saturdays, April 5, 19 and May 3, 17 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Asian American for Community Involvement 2400 Moorpark Ave., Suite 111, San Jose (888) 311-3331