GUITAR LEGEND David Marks is often called 'the lost Beach Boy.' The Sun
A member of the original 60s super group from age 13, he recorded six albums with the groundbreaking band. He still tours with them today, and recently played to UK crowds across the country.
But aside from music David has another passion in his life - raising awareness of the 'silent virus' Hepatitis C. This can cause serious liver disease, but few people realise they carry it.
David, 61, believes he may have been infected with the virus for up to twenty years before medics diagnosed it. He says: "I found out I had Hep C by accident. I was taken to hospital in 1999 for a broken rib. When the doctors took a blood test they realised I had Hep C. One of the main problems with the virus is it doesn't cause symptoms.
If I hadn't gone into hospital with that broken rib I wouldn't have known I had it."
David, 61, who lives in New York, admits his partying lifestyle in the 1970s may have led to him contracting the disease, which is transmitted through blood. "I experimented with different lifestyles," he reveals.
Hep C is believed to affect up to half a million Brits - but up to 100,000 don't know they have it. It's passed from person to person through the blood, usually through needle sharing from drug use. Those who had blood transfusions before 1991 may also be at risk. Although treatable, the virus can cause serious liver damage if undetected.
David, whose autobiography is called "The Lost Beach Boy", describes his diagnosis as a blessing in disguise. He turned his life around, sought treatment and has now been virus free for five years.
"I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have received that diagnosis when I did. I now have a much healthier lifestyle. I don't drink or smoke, I eat healthily, walk and do yoga. I was faced with a serious disease and had to start taking care of myself."
