How did this woman get hepatitis C?

Catherine Shanahan tells the story of a 76-year-old woman who went to hospital for an operation. Now she has hep C.

EILEEN KELLY went into hospital in August 2004 for a fairly innocuous operation on her foot. She was, according to her son Dennis, a relatively healthy woman, who, despite having rheumatoid arthritis, was well able to get out and about and enjoy life.

The previous July she was hearty enough to travel to New Jersey under her own steam to visit her sister.