Rally planned in downtown Indy for World Sepsis Day
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — People in Indiana and around the world will gather Tuesday to raise awareness for Sepsis, something nearly 3,500 Hoosiers are diagnosed with every year, according to the Indiana Hospital Association.
The life-threatening condition can start with a simple infection.
The Indiana Hospital Association is holding a Rally Against Sepsis that will take place at the Indianapolis Arts Garden from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The goal is to raise awareness about Sepsis, which is the body’s overwhelming and potentially life-threatening response to an infection. It can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and even death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than one million cases of Sepsis every year, and up to half of those people will die. Those who survive may will likely have to deal with the aftermath for the rest of their lives.
“There are many, many survivors of Sepsis, but they do have those lifelong effects, and so we know that some people will lose limbs, fingertips, legs, arms, they may have difficulty sleeping. The Sepsis Alliance actually is looking at a level of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder related to Sepsis and those ongoing issues, so it really is about how do we support those folks once they do survive that because it’s life changing,” Annette Handy with the Indiana Hospital Association said.
Sepsis symptoms include common infection signs, such as diarrhea, vomiting and sore throat, according to the Indiana Hospital Association. Symptoms can also include shivering, fever and cold, extreme pain, pale or discolored skin, sleepiness, difficultly waking up, confusion and shortness of breath.
Anyone with an infection and these symptoms should seek medical attention, no matter their age.
“It can happen to seemingly healthy individuals, certainly there are people who are at greater risk for developing Sepsis; the young as well as the very old or elderly, those people who have compromised immune systems, individuals who may be recovering from burns or they have a wound, recent surgeries, chronic conditions that might make them a little more vulnerable — but again, the bottom line is it can happen to anyone at any age,” Handy said.
For more information from the Indiana Hospital Association about Sepsis, click here.