World Sepsis Day – How Aware Are You?
It’s a condition that can kill in hours, and five people die of it every hour in the UK.
Now the charity Sepsis Research FEAT is marking World Sepsis Day 2022 with a new podcast series and a Give Us 5! challenge to raise awareness and get people to ask: “Could it be sepsis?”
Kim Smith from Milton Keynes contracted sepsis on holiday in Alicante in 2017. She was in a coma for almost six weeks and underwent quadruple amputation as a result.
Kim is one of the guests on Sepsis Research FEAT’s new podcast series – Words Of Sepsis – which has launched for Sepsis Awareness Month. Over eight episodes, it will feature powerful stories told by sepsis survivors and their family members from across the UK.
Survivor on a mission
Kim explains, “My mission in life now is to warn everyone about sepsis. I’m lucky I survived it, I know so many haven’t. I want better education so people know to seek urgent treatment.
“Anything that can cause an infection can lead to sepsis if there’s a reaction which makes the immune system go into overdrive and begin attacking not just the infection, but also the body’s own tissues and organs.
“In my case, my kidneys failed, I had to have dialysis, I was on life support and had quadruple amputation.
“Please remember the symptoms of sepsis (below), because it needs urgent medical treatment. If you’re unsure, just ask: “Could it be sepsis?”
Kim’s full sepsis story can be viewed here.
5 key symptoms of sepsis are…
- Confusion
- Not passing as much urine as normal
- Very high or low temperature
- Uncontrolled shivering
- Cold or blotchy arms and legs
Get involved and save lives
Colin Graham. © Gibson Digital 2021
Colin Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Sepsis Research FEAT says, “It seems unthinkable that in 2022 there still exists a condition that can kill a previously healthy adult or child in hours.
“Sepsis Awareness Month and World Sepsis Day exist so that more people learn about sepsis and more lives can be saved. It is always an important time for our charity’s work to increase awareness of this devastating condition and fund vital research into it.
“We’re asking everyone to get involved this September. Spread the word about sepsis and learn the five key symptoms, alongside donating and fundraising for research through our Give Us 5! fundraising campaign.
“Whatever support you can give will play an important part in the fight against sepsis.”
Awareness and research
Sepsis Research FEAT is the only UK sepsis charity dedicated both to funding research and to raising awareness of the condition among the public and medical community.
The primary research project the charity supports is the GenOMICC study. This is a global collaboration to study the genetics of critical illness, led by the University of Edinburgh in partnership with Genomics England.
The charity’s campaigns rely on supporters sharing their sepsis stories to help others learn about sepsis, and the five key symptoms to look out for.
Sepsis Research at the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute. © Gibson Digital 2021
Give Us 5!
Give Us 5! is a new fundraising campaign for Sepsis Awareness Month 2022. In order to highlight the five key symptoms of sepsis, and also recognise the five lives tragically lost to sepsis every hour in the UK, Sepsis Research FEAT is encouraging supporters across the country to give five of something.
This could be giving five minutes or hours of their time, taking part in a fundraising activity covering five miles on land or on water, or giving £5, £500 or even £5,000.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to an infection spirals rapidly out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs. It can result in multiple organ failure and death.
The biological processes that cause sepsis are still not well understood. This why more research is required to save lives. It’s also vital that people learn the signs and symptoms of sepsis so they can seek medical attention in time.
Sepsis facts
- 5 people die every hour from sepsis in the UK.
- 246,000 people are affected by sepsis in the UK each year.
- Globally, it kills 11 million people a year, making it a bigger killer than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined.
- Sepsis is the primary cause of preventable death in the world.
Kim is a guest on Sepsis Research FEAT’s new podcast series – Words of Sepsis – which has launched for Sepsis Awareness Month. More information on Sepsis ResearchFEAT’s Facebook page.
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