Texas Children's Global Health Baylor Black Sea Foundation

A hepatitis C patient’s journey from diagnosis to cure—and early cancer detection—highlights the lifesaving impact of Fundatia Baylor Romania’s continuous care and follow-up support.

For years, a hepatitis C diagnosis was a heavy burden, especially for those who had no access to effective treatment. But for one patient under Fundatia Baylor Romania’s care, persistence and support made all the difference in his journey to health. 

At 67, he was diagnosed with hepatitis C during a routine screening at Baylor’s infectious disease service. At the time, the only available treatment was interferon-based, and due to his age, he wasn’t eligible. With no immediate treatment options, he enrolled in Baylor’s chronic hepatitis care program, where he received monitoring and guidance on maintaining his health. 

Four years later, a breakthrough came. In 2016, Romania’s national treatment program expanded to include patients with advanced fibrosis, making him eligible for a new, interferon-free therapy. At 71, he began treatment in September 2017, following every recommendation with discipline. By March 2018, he had achieved sustained virologic response—his hepatitis C was cured. 

But his journey didn’t end there. He continued to follow Baylor’s post-treatment care program, traveling regularly to Bucharest for evaluations, even after his attending physician relocated. In 2019, during a routine follow-up, doctors detected hepatocarcinoma—liver cancer.