As tattoos have become more mainstream in our culture, more and more teens at younger and younger ages are hitting up their parents to be inked.
But there are so many considerations besides just age, including health considerations.
And one of the biggest dangers can come from so-called "street tattoos" or non-professional tattoos that kids get at home tattoo parties.
A Bristol woman who got a tattoo like that when she was just 15 is now paying for it with her health, and potentially her life.
In spite of that, Francine Copley loves spending time with her young grandson Santana. Every day for her is precious.
The load of pill bottles on the kitchen counter hints at why.
"The hepatitis is attacking my new liver," Francine says.
Francine has Hepatitis C.
She says the reason why is a homemade only partially finished tattoo that she got when she was 15. She describes herself as a stereotypical rebellious teen and she and her friends decided to use needle and thread and ink at home to tattoo themselves ... Francine's tattoo was supposed to be a cross with light radiating from it. But it hurt too bad for her to finish. The girls shared the ink as they dipped their needles into it to give themselves tattoos.
"It's nothing to me and it reminds me everyday I have Hepatitis C because I did this," Francine says of the tattoo.
Years after she and her friends attempted the home tattoo, Francine was diagnosed with the disease that essentially destroyed her liver. She got a liver transplant on Jan. 1, 2011. At that time her liver was only functioning at 1 percent.
Now as the disease compromises her new liver, she fears she may have to face another transplant in the future.
"It haunts me everyday. I had children and I worry I will pass it to them," Francine laments.
So far her kids and grandkids are fine and free from the disease.
As Francine fights to save her new liver from being attacked by Hepatitis C, she has given up a lot. She can only be out in the sun for 30 minutes at a time. She had to give up her career in health care and she is now on disabililty. There is no cure for Francine's Hepatitis C, only treatment. But Francine is using her experience from that day when she was 15 to spread the word to others about the dangers of home tattoos.
"I don't want to see nobody go through what I went through. I have a beautiful family. I hate, I would hate for somebody to be so careless like I was and to have to live with this for the rest of their life because everyday it's a battle for me, everyday," Francine says through tears.
