May/June Newsletter
10 Jun 2026 |
Hepatic Headlines
Texas Liver Foundation
Monthly Newsletter
May/June 2026
What’s New At TLF?
We had an amazing spring at TLF, and we are definitely feeling the summer vibes!
This summer we are busy in our creative phase, tightening up our programs and planning for a busy fall! Here’s a quick look at what we’re up to:
- Because of the generosity of special donor earlier in the year, we have been able to revamp our bravery bag program, making our care packages for hospitalized liver disease, living donor, and transplant patients more practical and more impactful.
- We are also gearing up to tackle a topic that keeps popping up in all three of our monthly virtual support groups – nutrition, both pre and post surgery. Stay tuned for a webinar on dietary guidance soon!
- Speaking of support groups, did you know that Texas Liver Foundation hosts three monthly virtual support groups? Our support groups (or support circles, as I like to call them) dive into discussions about surgery, life before and after transplant, the invisible workload of caregivers, navigating difficult emotions, and more. If you are are living liver donor, liver transplant recipient, or a caregiver of a liver disease/transplant patient, we encourage you to join. The sense of community and belonging in our groups is special and new friendships are formed each month. Click HERE for more information.
- If you work in downtown Houston, and think your company might be open to being a site for free liver education/screenings, let us know! We’re in the planning phase of a community screening “tour” and would like to start in the downtown area.
If you’d like to support our work, please consider making a tax-deductible donation by clicking here.
Story Of The Month
Volunteers Needed for a Special Project!
TLF is seeking volunteers to help with a special and important project!
Last year, in partnership with BARE, Inc, Texas Liver Foundation distributed took kits that contained information and screening tools to all 222 newborn nurseries in the state of Texas to promote early detection of Biliary Atresia (BA). Caused by abnormal bile ducts creating a back up of bile that damages the liver, Biliary Atresia is the #1 cause of liver transplants in children. TLF’s own Dr. Sanjiv Harpavat has been on the front lines of the battle against biliary atresia. In this publication from the American Association of Pediatrics, he outlines the importance of early detection, informing us that when BA is detected and treated within the first month of life, babies have the best chance of delaying or possibly preventing the need for liver transplant.
What does this have to do with volunteering? In phase 2 of our Early Detection Information project, we are seeking help identifying and mapping out pediatric offices throughout the state of Texas to distribute our next batch of toolkits. Our goal is to get 250 packets out and we need help getting there!
If this sounds like a project you’d love to be involved in, let us know! Once we have your information and availability, we’ll talk about how you can help us get started.
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. — Helen Keller
SWAP of the Month
SWAP of the Month: Sweet Tea – a daring choice
It’s been a while since we’ve caused a ruckus in our SWAPS segment, so we decided it was time to test the waters again. This month we are, with respect and after careful consideration, coming for your sweet tea.
Initially we were going to tackle Backyard BBQ side dishes, but we instinctively stopped at sweet tea because we are fully prepared for the uprising. Hear us out – Sweet Tea may be a beloved Texas staple, but the sugar content is almost unbelievable, and it wreaks havoc on our bodies, especially the liver. For example, take a look at this recipe, which has 149.7 grams of sugar per serving – almost 600% the daily recommended serving!
We can certainly do better than this for our bodies. While it may take a little bit of time for your taste buds to adjust, it is easy and affordable to make delicious tea, without a sugar content high enough to fuel the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory.
Check out this amazing website and YouTube channel, created by nephrologist Dr. Blake Shusterman of Greenville, SC– also known as The Cooking Doc. Dr. Shusterman’s philosophy is that nutrition is 100-fold more important than the pills he prescribes his patients, and that small, practical changes add up to make a big difference. Instead of focusing on what we shouldn’t eat, Dr. Shusterman encourages us to add new, delicious ingredients to make nutritious meals taste great.
Dr. Shusterman shared this recipe for a sweet tea alternative. It’s simple, affordable, and will help your liver breathe a sigh of a relief.
Ingredients
Unsweetened black tea
Oranges, sliced
Sprig of mint
Directions
Place sliced oranges and mint in pitcher
Pour unsweetened black tea into pitcher
Refrigerate overnight
Enjoy!
Give it a try the next time you’re in the mood for a refreshing glass of iced tea, and remember that each time you make a simple swap like this one, you’re not just contributing to your health today, you’re creating a healthier future for your body.
Tried this SWAP and loved (or hated) it? Have an idea for a SWAP that you’d like us to try? We’d love to hearabout it!
HEP Happenings
Liver Disease and Men’s Health
June is Men’s Health Month. Joining the effort of heightening awareness of preventable health problems in men and boys, TLF wants to highlight something that many people may not realize – men are more likely to develop certain types of liver disease than women, and twice as likely to have primary liver cancer, especially hepatocellular carcinoma.
According to this article by UPMC, “men also had higher death rates from cirrhosis caused by alcohol-related liver disease. It’s more common for men to use alcohol excessively. More than 30% of adult men had five or more drinks in one day at least once during the previous year.”
MASLD appears to affect men at higher rates as well. A Japanese study that was conducted over a span of 12 years found that the prevalence of Fatty Liver Disease was double in the men enrolled in the study compared to women (though that trend is reversed in women over 50).
This month, we encourage men in our community to know their numbers and schedule a liver health screening with their care provider. Understanding what’s happening inside of your body and knowing the answer to “What’s My ALT?” is the first step you can take in protecting your liver health. Get screened today for the chance of a healthier tomorrow.
FACT OF THE MONTH
The liver is the only organ inside of the body that can regenerate.