Rebecca Howells with her son Sam Howells who survived Sepsis 4 years ago
With 2,200 deaths from Sepsis each year in Wales there are calls to raise awareness of the illness amongst the public and healthcare professionals to ensure people can spot the signs of this life threatening illness early.
As part of World Sepsis Day (13 September), Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has teamed up with UK Sepsis Trust to raise awareness of this life threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs.
You can watch Sam’s story here:
Rebecca Howells son Sam contracted Sepsis when he was four years old following a bout of pneumonia. Sam beat the odds and overcame a 5% chance of survival, facing brain damage, amputation and locked in syndrome during his illness. He is now eight years old and has undergone nine operations over the last four years and is now riding his bike and taking part in sports days.
There are 10,000 cases of Sepsis in children each year of which 1000 will die. Rebecca is keen that there is more awareness of Sepsis so no one has to go through what her family did four years ago.
She said; “Over the last 4 years for me it has been evident that the amount of information readily available on Sepsis is lacking. I was sat in the doctor’s surgery recently and there were so many leaflets on meningitis but nothing on Sepsis.
“We, the public and some healthcare professionals, are not necessarily clued up on the signs of Sepsis which can be caused by any sort of bacteria.
“What I’d like is to raise awareness of Sepsis so that people know the signs and know when to take action. Spotting the signs early could help save a child’s life and some people unfortunately don’t have the same outcome that Sam had.”
The signs of Sepsis in children include breathing very fast, a fit or convulsion, pale, mottled skin, a rash which does not fade when pressed, and very lethargic and cold to touch.
Paul Morgan, Consultant Intensivist and Sepsis Lead at Cardiff and Vale UHB said; “Across the world someone dies of sepsis every three-and-a-half seconds with deaths in Wales hitting 2,200 per year. This costs the NHS approximately £125 million. The human cost however, is immeasurable for those who survive sepsis and those who are bereaved.
“Families can be left devastated by sepsis, whether their loved one survives or not. Many survivors are left with long-term physical and psychological damage.
“The key to improving outcomes from sepsis is early, appropriate, aggressive treatment. However, this means that the levels of awareness and knowledge must be raised amongst both the public and healthcare professionals alike.
“We are making progress in improving outcomes across Wales, but there is still so much more that needs to be done. Sepsis is a medical emergency, demanding and deserving the same urgency of treatment that we give to heart attacks and strokes.”
Sepsis is estimated to affect more than 150,000 people each year in the UK and at least 44,000 of those affected will die. It kills more people each year in the UK than breast, bowel and prostate cancers combined.
Sepsis can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death especially if not recognised early and treated promptly. Sepsis can occur following chest or water infections, problems in the abdomen like burst ulcers, or simple skin injuries like cuts and bites.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and UK Sepsis Trust will be hosting a joint stand in the concourse of the University Hospital of Wales today to help raise awareness of the condition.
Jean White, Chief Nursing Officer said: “On World Sepsis Day, 13 September 2016, I encourage all involved in healthcare to pause and reflect on this common but serious condition, which still takes far too many lives across the World, including 44,000 lives annually in the UK.
“This is more than the number of people who die from the combined total of deaths from breast, bowel and prostate cancers and more than the number of deaths from lung cancer. Sepsis remains the primary cause of death from infection, yet is often treatable if caught early.
“Anyone, from very young to very old, can develop sepsis from any number of causes and unfortunately unless swift and appropriate action is taken, the outcome for the individual can be dire.”
