15 Years of Sepsis Awareness Month: A Look Back
January 6, 2026
September 2026 marks the 15th anniversary of Sepsis Awareness Month. This observance was first established by Sepsis Alliance in 2011 to educate the public and healthcare communities about sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection and a leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals.
The First Sepsis Awareness Month
Sepsis Alliance launched Sepsis Awareness Month in 2011 in response to a desperate need for education and awareness-raising efforts around sepsis. An awareness survey in 2011 found that 58% of American adults had never heard of sepsis, and, of those who had heard of sepsis, few could define it. Education was urgently needed to help people recognize sepsis early and seek timely care, to save lives.
A Growing Movement
What began as grassroots awareness efforts with hospitals, survivors, and advocates sharing information has grown into a powerful public health campaign.
The first Sepsis Awareness Month included a new site, SepsisAwarenessMonth.org. This site included a “sepsis victim counter,” dedicated to counting the number of estimated cases of sepsis throughout the month, as well as a section highlighting sepsis experiences. Today, the SepsisAwarenessMonth.org page is still in use and features toolkits to spread awareness, social media graphics and language, Sepsis Awareness Month swag, and more.
There is also a section dedicated to requesting a Sepsis Awareness Month proclamation in your state to further amplify the importance of this awareness and honor the lives affected by sepsis. In 2016, the first three states to issue Sepsis Awareness Month proclamations were Hawaii, Michigan, and Tennessee. This list has grown, and in 2025, 29 states issued official proclamations for Sepsis Awareness Month. These proclamations must be renewed each year, and since 2016, nearly every U.S. state has issued a proclamation at least once.
Record-High Public Awareness
According to the 2025 Sepsis Alliance Awareness Survey, 75% of U.S. adults now report familiarity with the term “sepsis,” marking an all-time high and significant progress in public awareness. This represents a dramatic increase from just 19% when the survey began in 2003 and from 42% in 2011 when Sepsis Awareness Month was first established.
Find all previous Sepsis Awareness Surveys here.
National and Global Recognition
Sepsis Awareness Month was later recognized by major public health organizations, and, in 2012, the Global Sepsis Alliance established World Sepsis Day (September 13), part of a global movement to elevate sepsis as a public health priority.
What’s Next?
We are honoring 15 years of Sepsis Awareness Month all year long through themes, activities, and calls–to action. Download the toolkit and be an Ambassador for sepsis awareness in 2026 by visiting SepsisAwarenessMonth.org.
As we get closer to September, you can request a proclamation for your state, plan awareness-raising events, start a Sepsis Superhero Challenge team, and find other ways to make an impact in honor of 15 years of Sepsis Awareness Month.
