Tag: Sepsis Research FEAT

Charity launches Christmas campaign in memory of those lost to sepsis

Scotland-based charity Sepsis Research FEAT has launched a new Christmas campaign featuring the stories of families impacted by sepsis in order to help raise awareness of the deadly condition.

Sepsis takes the lives of approximately five people every hour in the UK. It occurs when the body’s response to an infection spirals rapidly out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs which can result in multiple organ failure and death.

Sepsis Research FEAT’s new campaign pays tribute to the many lives that have been lost to sepsis. It includes a Christmas video featuring singer Natalie Rushdie, who herself had sepsis in 2021.

In the video she performs Auld Lang Syne alongside images of people aged between 9.5 months to 92 years whose lives were tragically taken by sepsis. The Christmas campaign also features stories being shared by supporters from across the UK who were fortunate to have survived sepsis, some of whom have faced long-term and life-changing effects. 

The charity is highlighting the devastating impact sepsis can have on individuals and families so that more people will become aware of the symptoms and why it is vital to seek urgent medical attention if you spot them in yourself or a loved one.

As the UK’s only charity dedicated to funding research into sepsis while working to raise awareness, Sepsis Research FEAT works tirelessly to increase everyone’s knowledge about the condition. If people are able to recognise the symptoms of sepsis, they can act fast and seek medical help which improves their chances of recovery. 

The 5 key symptoms of sepsis everyone should know are:

  • Confusion 
  • Not passing as much urine as normal
  • Very high or low temperature 
  • Uncontrolled shivering
  • Cold or blotchy arms and legs 

Sepsis can be hard to recognise and diagnose because, in its early stages, it can have similar symptoms to common winter conditions like the flu and chest infections. However, if someone has any of the key symptoms becoming noticeably worse, this could indicate sepsis and urgent medical attention should be sought.

It can also be hard for people with sepsis to spot the signs in themselves as their health may deteriorate rapidly and they could become confused. Sepsis Research FEAT is urging people to look out for others this Christmas and seek medical attention on their behalf.

Colin Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Sepsis Research FEAT, said: “Christmas is a time for celebration but it is also a time to remember those we have lost and to consider how things could be so different. Too many lives are tragically taken by sepsis every year.

“We want our Christmas campaign to pay tribute to those people and also their families who are living with the devastating impact of sepsis. Our charity and supporters fight on in their name by continuing to raise awareness and fund vital research. We are incredibly grateful to those supporters who are sharing their stories this Christmas to help others learn about sepsis and how to spot it.

“Sepsis is an indiscriminate, deadly condition that can kill a previously healthy adult or child in a matter of hours. It is vital that everyone knows the symptoms so they can seek medical treatment in time. Cases of sepsis could be mistaken for the flu because the early symptoms are sometimes similar, particularly around Christmas time and the winter months when flu is more common.

“The difference is that these symptoms worsen rapidly when sepsis is the cause. The most important thing is to react fast and seek medical attention because this can improve chances of survival.

“Please support our campaign this Christmas to help spread the word about sepsis and how to recognise the symptoms. If you have personal experience of the condition then please consider sharing your story online using #StopSepsisNow. You can also take part in fundraising to support us to continue our work raising awareness of sepsis and funding ground-breaking research to help save lives.”

For more information about Sepsis Research FEAT and the charity’s Christmas campaign, visit https://sepsisresearch.org.uk

New sepsis awareness campaign announced in Scotland

A leading sepsis charity will work with the Scottish Government to run a national sepsis awareness campaign this year.

The forthcoming partnership between Sepsis Research FEAT and the Scottish Government will help to save lives by increasing public awareness of sepsis and how to recognise symptoms of the disease.

More than 4,000 people die from sepsis every year in Scotland. This deadly condition occurs when the body’s response to an infection spirals rapidly out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs. This can result in multiple organ failure and death. 

The five key symptoms of sepsis which will be highlighted in the campaign are:

  • Confusion 
  • Not passing as much urine as normal
  • Very high or low temperature 
  • Uncontrolled shivering
  • Cold or blotchy arms and legs 

If someone has two or more of these symptoms, becoming progressively or rapidly worse, this indicates they may have sepsis and urgent medical attention should be sought. 

Sepsis Research FEAT previously worked with the Scottish Government on awareness campaigns in 2018 and 2019. These campaigns, which included radio, print and social media, reached more than 1.3 million people across Scotland. Planned joint campaigns for 2020 and 2021 were paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic, though Sepsis Research FEAT continued its awareness raising work independently.

This latest partnership between Sepsis Research FEAT and the Scottish Government will build on the success of the previous campaigns with a Scotland-wide multimedia campaign, which will include nationwide commercial TV and radio for the first time. It will launch in August with a peak in activity to coincide with Sepsis Awareness Month in September. 

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government is continuing to work with Sepsis Research FEAT to raise public awareness of the symptoms and dangers of sepsis. 

“Patient safety remains key to delivering safe and effective care to all patients every time they access healthcare services and the Scottish Government’s Scottish Patient Safety Programme continues to make progress in its action on sepsis. 

“Focusing on early identification is critical and treatment within one hour of recognition has led to mortality rates among those identified at this stage falling by 21% since 2012.

“Sepsis Research FEAT play a vital role in funding research into this devastating disease and in making the public aware of the symptoms, and the Scottish Government is supporting them in their efforts.”  

The charity Sepsis Research FEAT have launched a new national sepsis awareness campaign in partnership with the Scottish Government at The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The campaign will focus on increasing public awareness of sepsis and how to recognise the 5 key symptoms in order to help save lives. Pictured Humza Yousaf MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care,with o Colin Graham – Sepsis Research FEAT Chief Operating Officer o Kimberley Bradley – Sepsis survivor and Sepsis Research FEAT supporter o Fiona Griffith – GenOMICC Project manager (the charity is a funder of the GenOMICC research study) o Sarah Weatherston – a teacher and sepsis survivor Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital infogibsondigital@gmail.co.uk www.gibsondigital.co.uk All images © Gibson Digital /Sepsis Research FEAT 2022

Colin Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Sepsis Research FEAT, commented: “Sepsis Research FEAT is proud to be working in partnership with the Scottish Government once again and to be leading on this important campaign. This year will see our largest campaign yet and we are very much looking forward to sharing it with the public this August.

“Analysis from our last partnership with the Scottish Government showed that campaign activity was increasing awareness of sepsis in Scotland but that continued work was required so more people could identify the five key symptoms.

“Expanding our joint campaign this year to include commercial broadcast channels will ensure that we reach a greater number of people and better educate them about the signs and symptoms of sepsis.

“It is a devastating condition that can kill a previously healthy adult or child in hours. The more people across the country who are able to spot the key symptoms of sepsis in themselves and others, the more lives will be saved.”