Sock it to Sepsis – 1 October 2019

Gill Thomson, freelances with the Sepsis Research charity FEAT which acronym came from the trust which was originally set up by Craig Stobo, the widower of tragic victim of Sepsis, Fiona Elizaberh Agnew, who died along with her unborn child 7 years ago. It is the UK’s only Sepsis research charity.

 

Gill is passionate about her role in increasing awareness of the life-threatening condition and described to members how the disease arises when the body’s response to infection spirals rapidly out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs. It can affect anyone regardless of age, underlying health conditions, fitness and lifestyle. In the uk, more than 52,000 people die from sepsis every year yet its causes are largely unknown.

 

 

The principal difficulty in treating patients is in diagnosing the disease in the first place, since many of its symptoms can generally be attributed to other better known ailments. Therefore, increasing awareness of the classic symptoms is of major importance.

These are:

  • very high or low temperature
  • Uncontrolled shivering
  • Confusion
  • Passing less urine than normal
  • Blotchy or cold hands and feet

Time is critical to successful outcomes so the other targets of the awareness campaign are medical professionals. Widening recognition of sepsis in all areas of the NHS is necessary to improve promptness of diagnosis and treatment.

FEAT’s mission is to reach as many as possible, health professionals and the general public alike, in order to substantially improve survival rates and also to fund pioneering research into causes and treatments in order to ‘stop sepsis’. The charity also strives to provide better care for those (children especially) affected by sepsis.

Sepsis research is expensive and depends on legacies and donations. It receives no government money or lottery funding. Find out more at www.sepsisresearch.org.uk.

Walter Walsh thanked Gill for her obvious dedication and for the clarity of her presentation.

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