Ann Jesse dedicated herself to providing Hep C sufferers peace of mind, along with education and access to needed clinical and emotional resources. It started with Hep C Connection’s He!p Line.

Notes an organization brochure back in the day: “How He!p Line works…Positive screening for HBV and/or HCV triggers a notification letter to the donor, and offers a toll-free He!p Line number…Once the donor calls, trained He!p Line counselors provide current and correct information relating to…Educational Materials—Centers for Disease Control, American Liver Foundation, Hep C Connection…Resource Lists (updated monthly)—National support groups, national list of treating physicians…Subject to caller consent, counselors continue their support with scheduled callbacks. This gently encourages a proactive course of action.”

Much of what informed Ann’s efforts grew out of her own devastating experiences that ultimately led to successful treatment. She wanted the same outcome for others.

Always mindful of balancing both physical and emotional health “prescriptions” around Hepatitis C, Ann moved passionately to make sure both were addressed in every way possible. She worked closely with pharmaceutical companies developing treatments. She advocated for personal responsibility to optimize treatment and nutrition.

Another Hep C Connection brochure advises: “Be proactive right away. Major strides have been made toward lessening the severity of hepatitis C, and even causing it to go into remission…Take stock of your emotional situation. Don’t go into denial…By dealing with your feelings from the beginning, you can make faster, more dramatic strides in treatment—and ultimately, your quality of life…Determine what you can do to help heal yourself. Nutrition, exercise, stress management and positive outlook are all critical to combat hepatitis C.”

A family member of a Hep C patient addresses the power in Ann Jesse’s mission: “I read the notification letter and there was an 800 number to call for information…The counselor helped me to understand what hepatitis C is. He told me what we could do to help my husband…Now he is on treatment and it looks like we’re going to beat this thing.”

That is the essence of phenomenal customer service, and showcases Ann Jesse’s ongoing commitment to help others beat the disease.

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My longtime friend, Ann Jesse, recently died. Ann didn’t just practice stellar customer service, she created it. When diagnosed with Hepatitis C in the nineties, she started a national Hep C support organization to provide the help and answers she hadn’t been able to find anywhere else. The Hep C Connection grew to one of the nation’s largest and most influential support organizations in this realm. Ann’s efforts helped people across the country manage, and ultimately recover, from this devastating disease. This series of posts is dedicated to Ann Jesse’s customer service efforts on behalf of so many.

Mark Lusky