Do you know what sepsis is? That was the question we were asking during World Sepsis Day, on Friday, September 13. Sepsis is a leading killer of children and newborns worldwide; however most Canadians can’t describe what sepsis is, or know how to recognize it. On World Sepsis Day 2019, the Action on Sepsis Research Cluster and its partners set out to raise awareness of this neglected global health crisis through a public booth outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.
The centerpiece of the booth was our life-sized, hand-painted sepsis display. Each side of the display featured different aspects of sepsis - the signs and symptoms of sepsis, the frequency of sepsis in Canada and abroad, and stories about life after sepsis. Quotes from sepsis survivors, collected with the help of the Canadian Sepsis Foundation and featured on the Action on Sepsis website, highlighted the ongoing challenges associated with post-sepsis syndrome.
Throughout the day, we had sepsis experts share their insights through video interviews, posted on Twitter. Presenters included Dr Tex Kissoon (Global Sepsis Alliance), Dr Dave Sweet (BC Sepsis Network), Ray Schachter (Canadian Sepsis Foundation), and Richard Cave (BC Patient Voices Network). In addition, Dr Larry Mroz (BC SUPPORT Unit) stopped by to share how health researchers can make their sepsis studies more meaningful through patient-oriented research. All our Tweets from the day can be viewed here.
The event could not have happened without the help of our volunteers, especially our patient partners. They shared their own lived experience and handed out informational pamphlets designed by patients and nurses at Vancouver General Hospital, helping educate others about sepsis. About 100 individuals visited the booth over the course of the day, while our tweets were viewed over 10,000 times! Many visitors to our booth had friends or family who suffered from sepsis and wanted to know more about sepsis. Others were travelling from out of town, and still took time to chat with us.
Thank you to our partners for the day, including The Centre for International Child Health at BC Children's Hospital, BC Patient Safety and Quality Council, Global Sepsis Alliance (the founders of World Sepsis Day), BC Emergency Medicine Network, and BC SUPPORT Unit. Remember, timely treatment is important for managing sepsis – if you think it may be sepsis, ask your healthcare provider, “Could this be sepsis?”