I was incarcerated during COVID. I was transferred to Brisbane Correctional Centre for 1 week and then moved to Woodford Correctional Centre for 4 years. It was a difficult time and, in my own words, I was treated like shit for 4 years.

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From the start, I wasn’t able to access doctors in the medical centre or mental health staff and everything was difficult. I wanted to focus on my health. I was told by officers to put in a medical form but was not provided any assistance in completing the form. Comments such as “don’t ask me about filling in forms … ask your friends” were what I got.

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It’s difficult navigating systems when you are naive to the system! I saw that many people in prison including long termers, whites and those who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders can’t read and write. I felt people were singled out, made to feel uncomfortable and made to be seen as “a user”. In my opinion, the general population on the outside think prisoners are scum.

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Fortunately, I made the most of my time inside and, being self-motivated, I focused on upskilling to relieve the boredom, working my way up to a senior position in the industries sewing unit.

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I have a history of hep C and had been on old treatment in the past. However, I was not surprised when I was once again diagnosed as hep C positive during a Kombi Clinic high-intensity testing campaign at my Brisbane prison. During this fingerstick testing process, I was given a purple card for the hep C prison transition worker from QuIHN (Queensland Injectors Health Network). After my diagnosis, I started hep C treatment for a few days but was given a suspended sentence and discharged without my hep C medication.

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I was determined to finish my Hep C medication and was motivated enough to ring the hep C prison transition worker straight away following my discharge to tell her I was at home and without my pills. With the working partnerships between different organisations involved in hep C care in Queensland prisons, she was able to communicate with my previous prison nurse and arrange to pick up my hep C medication from the prison.

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The hep C prison transition worker then delivered the pills to my home in Queensland, where I completed my full course without missing a single tablet. She has been in regular touch with me and, to help me further, was able to make an active referral to QuIHN counselling service where I continue to this day. Fortunately, I am also linked in with Alcohol and Other Drug Services at Princess Alexandra Hospital for my opioid antagonist therapy and have been assisted by a fabulous social worker. I had a post-treatment test with QuIHN now and I was thrilled with my negative result. This was awesome news and I was both relieved and happy to be cured of hep C.

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Ongoing, I see my GP every 6 months for a hep C test. I am currently completing a Certificate 4 in Mental Health and am looking to the future to help people who are homeless. I also want to volunteer and work with “my people”. I spoke about establishing a “Brothers on the Inside” support group, and I’m sure with my passion I will be successful.

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For all my mates, I always say, “Don’t wait and get tested for hep C today.” Things are possible and help is out there.