Shaunna Farley – Wednesday 2nd August 2023 – 8.30am.
Ambulance staff will be well-aware of just how life-threatening Sepsis can be. In a courageous effort to raise awareness about the early signs and symptoms, Hollymoor Technician, Becky Mortimer, has shared details of her personal battle with this life threatening condition.
Becky unfortunately recently experienced sepsis first-hand when she fell ill in November 2022 as a result of a Strep A infected lymph node.
Becky underwent emergency surgery and a week in an Intensive Care Unit, followed by a further three weeks in hospital.
Since being discharged from hospital, Becky has since developed Post Sepsis Syndrome and through her support received by the UK Sepsis Trust, has bravely taken the opportunity to highlight the importance of recognising the signs and symptoms to save lives.
Becky said: “It’s really important to me that I can raise awareness for the symptoms of sepsis and just how serious it can be.
“I see patients with sepsis quite often within my role and unfortunately suffered with it myself. Quick recognition can lead to faster treatment, resulting in a shorter or potentially less severe experience with the illness.
“After recovering from Sepsis and developing Post Sepsis syndrome, I reached out for support from the UK Sepsis Trust who were able to help me while I dealt with the recovery period.”
Trust Governor and Becky’s Mum, Jeanette Mortimer has took the opportunity to support Becky and the UK Sepsis Trust for their support by taking on the challenge to walk 10,000 steps each day in July to raise money for the charity.
Jeanette said: “I had heard about sepsis before, but hadn’t experienced it until seeing how severely ill Becky was.
“It’s a common misconception that sepsis can only affect the very young or elderly, but this isn’t true and we all need to familiarise ourselves with the symptoms.
“This is why I have taken on the challenge of walking 10,000 steps a day to raise funds for the UK sepsis Trust and hopefully in doing so, I can reach more people who don’t yet know about the signs of sepsis.”
Ron Daniels from The UK Sepsis Trust added: “Becky’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder that sepsis can strike people of any age at any time – which is why it’s vital that everyone knows the symptoms to look for and when to get help.
“We’re thrilled that Becky’s on the road to recovery with the help of our Support Team. As a West Midlands-based charity with national reach, we hugely appreciate the great work she, Jeanette and West Midlands Ambulance Service are doing to raise much-needed awareness and funds.”
If you would like to support Jeanette in her 10,000 steps a day fundraiser for the UK Sepsis Trust, you can find out more information on how to do so here.
About sepsis: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It occurs when the body’s immune system – which normally helps to protect us and fight infection – goes into overdrive. It can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and sometimes death, especially if not recognised early and treated promptly. Sepsis is indiscriminate: while it primarily affects very young children and older adults, and is also more common in people with underlying health conditions, it can sometimes be triggered in those who are otherwise fit and healthy. Sepsis always starts with an infection, and can be triggered by any infection including chest infections and UTIs. It is not known why some people develop sepsis in response to these common infections whereas others don’t.
About The UK Sepsis Trust: The UK Sepsis Trust is a charity founded in 2012 by NHS consultant Dr Ron Daniels BEM. The charity aims to end preventable deaths and improve outcomes for sepsis survivors, striving to raise public awareness and working to support anyone affected by this devastating condition. Find out more: https://sepsistrust.org/
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