Sepsis Alliance Launches New Tools and Resources for Sepsis Awareness Month 2017

Greater national awareness of sepsis, the third leading cause of death in the U.S., is the goal of 6th annual Sepsis Awareness Month.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – Every 2 minutes someone dies from sepsis in the U.S. – that’s more than from prostate cancer, breast cancer and AIDS combined. Simply raising awareness saves lives from sepsis and this is the goal behind Sepsis Alliance’s new campaign for Sepsis Awareness Month this September. The nation’s leading sepsis advocacy organization has just released two new toolkits for the public and for healthcare organizations to help shine a spotlight on sepsis, the body’s life-threatening response to infection that kills more than 258,000 people in the U.S. every year.

Designed to bundle essential resources together for easy distribution, these toolkits offer a variety of materials for individuals and healthcare professionals to get involved and share sepsis information in communities across the country. With their toolkit, the public is encouraged to host sepsis-related events, advocate to their legislator to recognize Sepsis Awareness Month in their state, and write to local newspapers about sepsis as a medical emergency, in addition to other outreach efforts. The toolkit for healthcare professionals focuses on education. It includes a number of resources to teach patients about sepsis and its symptoms, as well as a new nurse education tool to inform medical staff on sepsis symptoms and treatment protocols.

“The first step in creating change is awareness – in fact, we know that simply raising awareness can save lives from sepsis,” said Thomas Heymann, Executive Director of Sepsis Alliance. “Sepsis Alliance started Sepsis Awareness Month in 2011 to help spark conversations among patients, family members, and healthcare providers about sepsis. We’re excited that national awareness has increased the last few years to 55 percent of adults, but we still have work to do to educate the other 45 percent.”

In addition to the new toolkits for individuals and healthcare professionals, 2017 Sepsis Awareness Month events and programs include:

• Sepsis Heroes in NYC: The sixth annual Sepsis Heroes, which will take place on September 14 in New York City. Hosted by Sepsis Alliance, this gala honors individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on sepsis awareness. Five recipients will be recognized as Sepsis Heroes this year, and one recipient will be honored with the Erin Kay Flatley Spirit Award.
• Awareness Events Across the Country: From Rochester, New York to Rochester, Michigan and around the country, hospitals, organizations, and individuals raise awareness for Sepsis Awareness Month with dedicated events in September. Our toolkit makes it easy to host an event and be added to our online calendar.
• Social Media Photo Challenge: Sepsis Alliance is also issuing a new Sepsis Photo Challenge for Sepsis Awareness Month. During September, social media users are asked to post photos of themselves or others raising awareness of sepsis, and using the #SAM2017 hashtag. Photos can be posted on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Additional events and celebrations during September are being added on a continual basis. To find how you can participate, as well as tips and ideas for raising awareness in your community, hospital or place of work, please visit:

https://www.SepsisAwarenessMonth.org

About Sepsis Alliance

Sepsis Alliance is the leading nonprofit patient advocacy organization in North America. Sepsis Alliance’s mission is to save lives by raising awareness of sepsis as a medical emergency. The organization hosts national and community events, distributes educational information, and promotes training and education on sepsis prevention and early recognition and treatment. Sepsis Alliance also supports sepsis survivors and family members with information about sepsis and Post Sepsis Syndrome, as well as a Faces of Sepsis community forum. The sepsis.org website receives more than 1.5 million visits each year. Sepsis Alliance, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is a GuideStar Gold Rated Charity. For more information, please visit www.sepsis.org.