Terri Milton

When Terri Milton of Houston, Texas, was diagnosed with fatty liver disease decades ago, her doctors told her there was nothing to do about it. She had always struggled with her weight, but never consumed alcohol. Not sending her to a liver specialist did her a great disservice, as she was later diagnosed with severe liver scarring, Stage 4 cirrhosis, which developed into liver cancer. In 2022, she received a life-saving liver transplant.

Fast forward to the present. There is a newly FDA-approved medication called Rezdiffra approved for adults with advanced liver disease, shown to reduce liver fat, inflammation, and fibrosis. The drug activates a thyroid hormone receptor that reduces liver fat accumulation. 1 in 3 Americans has fatty liver disease. While it is still a silent epidemic, Terri Milton wants to help more people learn about a drug that can help reverse and prevent liver scarring -- and we want people with fatty liver disease to know there is something they can do about it.

That's why Terri has been collaborating with medical leaders to raise awareness of this disease (actually called MASH—Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis) that is a significant but underreported health crisis in America. She was just in Washington, DC, speaking to lawmakers and was on a panel at the recent Fatty Liver Alliance in Houston, discussing how early detection could have saved her from years of illness and eventual liver transplant. As a Mexican American, she wants people to know that Hispanic/Latino communities (41%), especially those of Mexican ancestry, are particularly vulnerable because of genetic variants like PNPLA3. Yet few Latinias are screened early.

About 1 in 3 adults has fatty liver disease. 30% have advanced fibrosis, which is at the stage at which Rezdiffra works. MASH is now the #1 cause of liver transplants in women.