Foundation Calls For Contestants To Create PSA About Hepatitis B

By Brad Segall

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - Doylestown's Hepatitis B Foundation is looking for some creative minds in the Philadelphia region that can put together a video public service announcement to raise awareness about the serious disease.

The foundation is hoping to engage people in the Philadelphia region to think outside the box and develop a thirty second public service announcement, which they hope will save lives. There are cash awards for the top three finalists and the grand prize winner will also have their PSA screened at this year's Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival.

"There are some significant pockets of hepatitis B infections in Philadelphia and that's why we need so very badly to improve awareness and make sure that people get tested and linked into care," says Chari Cohen, the Foundation's Associate Director of Public Health.

She says they're hoping for a lot of creativity in the 30 second announcements. "When we put together our educational materials, they are very fact based. We try and get as many facts as we can out there, but this is where I expect to see just some fun and I expect to see something that's going to go viral."

Cohen says the disease is prevalent in the African and Asian Pacific immigrant communities. It's often called the silent killer because the symptoms tend to remain hidden until it's too late.

For more information on the contest, go to HepBFreePhiladelphia.org.