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Erik Estrada Reaches Out to Hispanics About the Importance of Liver Health

Acclaimed Latino Icon Joins ALF/Univision National Awareness Campaign to Improve Liver Health

The American Liver Foundation (ALF) announced today its plans to launch a series of Public Service Announcements with acclaimed Latino icon Erik Estrada in an effort to raise awareness for liver disease and liver health. As part of leading Spanish-language media company Univision Communications' ongoing health campaign 'Salud es Vida...¡Enterate!,' the ads will run on Univision stations nationwide throughout the month of September. Univision will also extend awareness for the campaign through its website at www.univision.com . Erik Estrada is among a growing group of celebrities that includes Pamela Anderson, Naomi Judd, Angela Lansbury, Mike Piazza and others who have spoken out against liver disease and helped raise awareness for liver-related issues.

September is Liver Health & Awareness Month at Univision and each PSA will provide audiences with valuable liver health information that focuses on a specific liver-related topic. Topics of the PSAs will include Obesity & Fatty Liver Disease, Hepatitis C, Vaccine-Preventable Hepatitis (VPH) and Managing Medications. As a leading spokesperson for the ALF, Erik Estrada will encourage audiences to learn more about liver disease and prevent infection by consulting with their doctors and by contacting the ALF for more information. Other Public Service Announcements will feature leading medical expert Dr. Ruben Quiros and will urge viewers to seek testing and treatment for liver-related ailments. The American Liver Foundation will also offer additional materials and information on its Web site and through its toll-free HelpLine at 1-800-GO LIVER. Its nationwide newsletter that reaches more than 75,000 members will also contain valuable information. ALF chapter offices across the country will also provide information and support for those who need it. Visit the ALF Web site at www.liverfoundation.org to learn more.

According to Ivelisse Estrada, Senior VP, Corporate and Community Relations at Univision Communications, Inc., "Univision is proud to sponsor such an important health campaign for the Latino community and thrilled to work with the ALF to help promote liver health, wellness and to encourage healthier lifestyles. We view this campaign as one more way that Univision can make a positive and important impact on Hispanic communities. Working together with partners like the America Liver Foundation, we are able to provide our audiences with powerful information they need to make informed decisions about their health and the health of their families."

"We are honored to have the well-recognized Latino icon Erik Estrada represent the ALF in this very important campaign," said Alan Brownstein, President and CEO, American Liver Foundation. "Erik hopes that his continued support and participation in our efforts will bring liver health to the forefront of the Latino community."

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Fatty Liver or NAFLD) is an emerging health crisis that affects millions of children, teenagers and adults every year, with many of those people not even knowing they have the disease. Fatty Liver is the accumulation of fat in liver cells that causes the liver cells to malfunction. The disease is common in patients with various risk factors including obesity, diabetes, or elevated lipids. If left untreated, Fatty Liver can lead to a multitude of very serious conditions, including cirrhosis, hepatitis, diabetes and even liver cancer. According to a recent study from the Children's Hospital and Health Center in San Diego, CA, more than one million children suffer from Fatty Liver, with the large majority of these cases going unrecognized by physicians and the public. While the disease is slow to progress, the long-term implications of Fatty Liver are significant and may result in millions of people undergoing liver disease complications and/or requiring a liver transplant. While several studies have pointed to improvements in a change of lifestyle that include diet and exercise, at present there is no recognized standard treatment and more research is needed in this area.

Vaccine-Preventable Hepatitis (VPH) includes hepatitis A and hepatitis B and is caused by viruses in the blood. If left untreated, VPH can result in serious liver disease. VPH causes 171,000 new infections and over 5,000 deaths per year in the U.S. One form of VPH, hepatitis B, is the leading cause of liver cancer in the U.S. The risks for infection of hepatitis B include injecting or snorting illegal drugs, unsafe sexual practices, tattoos or piercings under unsanitary conditions, and receiving a contaminated blood transfusion or organ transplant. Symptoms of VPH include feelings of sickness or nausea, yellow eyes and/or skin, dark urine, fever, loss of appetite, or in some cases no symptoms at all. Vaccination can help protect you from VPH -- talk to your doctor for more information on the disease.

About Univision

Univision Communications, Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. Its operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 98% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 79% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 24 Univision Network television stations and 1 non-Univision television station; TeleFutura Television Group, which owns and operates 31 TeleFutura Network television stations; Galavisión, the country's leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 68 radio stations in 17 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 4 stations in Puerto Rico; Univision Music Group, which includes Univision Records, Fonovisa Records, and a 50% interest in Mexico-based Disa Records labels as well as Fonomusic and America Musical Publishing companies; and Univision Online, the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at www.univision.com. Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa's pay television channels in the U.S., and a non-voting 27% interest in Entravision Communications Corporation, a public Spanish-language media company. Univision Communications is headquartered in Los Angeles with television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, please visit www.univision.net

About the American Liver Foundation (ALF)

The American Liver Foundation is a national voluntary health organization dedicated to promoting liver wellness and to preventing, treating and curing hepatitis and other liver disease through research, education and advocacy.