Sepsis Alliance Announces Awards for Nurses Working to Prevent and Improve Care of Pediatric Sepsis

Awards to be given to nurses who honor the spirit of Erin Kay Flatley, who died unnecessarily of sepsis following a routine surgery. Sepsis kills 12 children each day, resulting in 4400 pediatric deaths annually, according to Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

San Diego, California May 16, 2016. Sepsis Alliance announces the launch of The Erin Kay Flatley Pediatric Sepsis Nursing Award, a special honor designed to recognize the importance of nurses in the fight against sepsis in children.

The award is named in honor of Erin Kay Flatley, an aspiring 23-year-old teacher who died suddenly and unnecessarily from sepsis. The nursing award has been created to recognize and reward excellence in the area of pediatric sepsis prevention, care, and education. Erin’s spirit lives on in the creation of Erin’s Campaign for Kids, a campaign that will create awards and training programs for nurses and health professionals to help identify and treat sepsis. By conservative estimates, sepsis causes 4,400 child deaths every year, or enough to fill a kindergarten class every 48 hours.

“Sepsis Alliance is proud to launch Erin’s Award to provide recognition to those who are working to solve this devastating problem,” said Thomas Heymann, Executive Director of Sepsis Alliance. “Every 30 days, sepsis kills enough kids to fill a high school graduating class. Considering the dramatic impact that sepsis has on our communities, it is alarming that fewer than half of American adults have even heard of it. This initiative is part of a national effort by Sepsis Alliance to promote improvements in awareness, prevention, care and outcomes.”

The recognition will be given each year to two licensed nurses from the U.S. and Canada who demonstrate excellence in their work, and a commitment for improving outcomes among pediatric patients. Each honoree will receive a $2,500 award, and be personally invited to the 2016 Sepsis Heroes event in New York City on September 15.

“Nurses represent the front line against sepsis,” said Carl Flatley, Erin’s father and the founder of Sepsis Alliance. “I am excited to be working to honor nurses who embody the spirit of my daughter, and who are committed to winning the fight against sepsis for their young patients. We know we can win this fight, and that many of these deaths can be prevented.”

To learn more about this award and to submit an application through July 15, please visit sepsis.org/erin

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 support 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 receive 1 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.