Liver Canada delivers a wake-up call to Canada in new PSA

/EIN News/ -- TORONTO, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Liver Canada is confronting the silent epidemic of liver disease with a powerful new public service announcement (PSA) titled Wake-Up Call. The campaign seeks to challenge misconceptions and encourage proactive health measures among Canadians.

The PSA draws attention to a largely unspoken health crisis: one in four Canadians are affected by liver disease, yet for many it goes untreated until it’s advanced.

A survey by Liver Canada earlier this year found that only nine per cent of Canadians consider their liver health a priority. Many believe liver disease only affects people who drink excessively, overlooking other major contributors. Others think it comes with early warning signs. That’s rarely the case.

“This PSA is our wake-up call to Canada,” says Jennifer Nebesky, President and CEO of Liver Canada. “Liver disease is far more common than people think, and it doesn’t discriminate. But it also doesn’t have to define you. The more we talk about it, the more lives we can change.”

This wake-up call delivers an emotional and urgent reminder: liver disease can touch anyone. It illustrates how quickly life can change following a diagnosis, underscoring the importance of knowing the risks, recognizing early signs and learning how to protect liver health.

 “We need all Canadians to start thinking about their liver more. But they should also know that support is available and they are not alone,” says Nebesky.

Advocating for over a hundred types of liver diseases, Liver Canada is dedicated to ensuring Canadians become more informed about their liver health and helping them navigate their diagnosis.

Liver Canada’s new PSA is a national push to:

• Break the silence and stigma around liver disease
• Encourage Canadians to learn about risk factors and early symptoms
• Act as a resource for support, screening tools and patient stories
• Reinforce that no one has to face liver disease alone

Roughly 10 million Canadians are affected by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a number expected to rise by 20 per cent by 2030. These figures reinforce the need for urgent action and greater awareness, both of which the Wake-Up Call campaign aims to inspire.

Watch the PSA and learn more at www.liver.ca/psa.

Holly Nyenkamp, senior director of marketing and communications, and Laura Dellandrea, manager of marketing and communications at Liver Canada, are both available for interviews. Liver Canada can also connect media with its medical partners across the country.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
Holly Nyenkamp
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Liver Canada
hnyenkamp@liver.ca

About Liver Canada

Liver Canada (LC), formerly the Canadian Liver Foundation, was established in 1969 by business leaders and doctors who believed liver disease needed a champion. Today, LC remains the only non-governmental organization in Canada dedicated to liver health and the main source of non-profit funding for all forms of liver disease.

Through research, education, advocacy and support, LC promotes liver health by improving prevention, screening, diagnostics and treatment, increasing public understanding and awareness of liver diseases and supporting those affected. We’re changing the future of liver health for people across Canada, and we won’t stop until there’s liver health for all.