My thanks to blog reader Cameron for tipping me off about something the UK is buzzing about. Coronation Street, the long-running, beloved British soap opera, put a character in a coma because of misdiagnosed sepsis. Survivors like me, and advocates around the world, are taking notice. This is huge.
Jack Webster, who’s seven, hurt his knee playing football. I won’t tell you the rest because it aired in the UK but North America is a couple of weeks behind. I will hint that it’s not looking good for a full recovery for young Jack, who, I feel I must remind you, is a character on a soap opera and not a real life child.
Newspapers in the UK have taken notice. Sepsis survivors and those who have lost loved ones to sepsis are speaking out about their experiences and – more importantly – newspapers are all over sepsis as if it’s the hot new thing. Coronation Street’s writers worked with the Sepsis Trust whose members are overjoyed at the number of people who learn about sepsis through the show. It brings tears of joy to my eyes! It’s the kind of mass awareness a person like me can only dream about. When you recover from something so misunderstood and mysterious, you want to warn the world. About six million people die from sepsis every year, one third of them, children. .
Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of Sepsis Trust tells the UK Telegraph:
“This is by far the broadest reach we could hope for on television and the longevity of the story running throughout the summer means sepsis will be cemented in viewers’ minds for years to come. Lives will be saved!”
British actor Jason Watkins has asked fellow Brits to watch the Corrie story arc and learn about sepsis. His two-year old daughter Maude died from sepsis seven years ago. He has also participated in a campaign for bereaved families called, One More Minute.
For more information on symptoms and stats, visit Sepsis Alliance. Now excuse me, please, I have a show to watch.