The Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), through its strategic partnership with the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) and collaboration with the Governments of Guyana and Egypt, the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, the Virchow Foundation, Sepsis Stiftung, and CHAI, is proud to have convened the first-ever Official Side Event on Sepsis at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva.

In line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work, the meeting aimed to consolidate political momentum for the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis, launched by the Global Sepsis Alliance at the German Parliament in September 2024 in partnership with the Global Health Sub-Committee of the German Bundestag, with a special video address from Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

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The event featured opening remarks from distinguished leaders in global health, including high-level officials from co-convening partners and the World Health Organization:

H.E. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Ambassador and former Minister of Health of Guyana, reiterated the commitment of H.E. President of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, to reduce the burden of Sepsis with special focus on improving maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare services, and shared examples from Guyana’s integrated health system approach towards prevention and management of Sepsis. Dr. Mariam Jashi, CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance, thanked Minister Frank Anthony for his unwavering support of the global Sepsis response and expressed interest in even closer collaboration with the Government of Guyana for the advancement of the Sepsis fight.

Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and WHO Regional Director for the Americas, delivered a statement, highlighting the work of PAHO and the member states in reducing the burden of Sepsis in the region. Under the guidance of Dr. Barbosa, the Region of the Americas became the first WHO region to develop and adopt a comprehensive Regional Strategy and Plan of Action on Sepsis, setting the global example to follow. Dr. Mariam Jashi used the opportunity to reiterate the historic leadership of PAHO in the field and handed to Dr. Barbosa a copy of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis that acknowledges this achievement.

Dr. Rudi Eggers, Director, Integrated Health Services, WHO, reviewed the collaboration with the Global Sepsis Alliance, including WHO’s contribution to the development and launch of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis at the German Bundestag. Dr. Eggers highlighted the critical need for an integrated approach to Sepsis, which covers infection prevention and control interventions and health-system strengthening aspects.

Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, President of MWIA and Co-chair of the IA2030 Partnership Council, expressed gratitude to the Global Sepsis Alliance for the ongoing collaboration and focused on the urgency of raising awareness and understanding of the Sepsis threat by communities and societies in general. Dr Jashi thanked Dr. Nwadinobi for the unique opportunity of hosting the very first official World Health Assembly side event within the framework of the strategic partnership with MWIA.

Prof. Niranjan ‘Tex’ Kissoon, President of the Global Sepsis Alliance, in his video address highlighted the importance of political commitment and multi-stakeholder engagement in moving the 2030 Global Sepsis Agenda forward. He thanked the co-convening partners of the event, including the Medical Women’s International Association, the Governments of Guyana and Egypt, UNITE, Virchow Foundation, and Sepsis Stiftung. Prof. Kissoon reiterated that the GSA, through its six Regional Sepsis Alliances in Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, stands ready to support national governments in developing Sepsis-related policies, action plans, protocols, and public awareness campaigns.

Prof. Konrad Reinhart, President of Sepsis Stiftung and Founding President of the Global Sepsis Alliance, shared a recently published website, MICROBE, as the joint collaborative initiative of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and Oxford University. He highlighted that the latest estimates on Sepsis-related mortality are even more alarming, with more than 21 million deaths associated with Sepsis as of 2021. Prof. Reinhart emphasized that the majority of Sepsis cases are preventable. He shared success stories from Australia, China, the UK, and other countries and called for urgent actions for averting Sepsis morbidity and mortality both in low and middle-income countries as well as high-resource settings, including in the European region.

The meeting was also attended by Dr. Nedret Emiroglu, WHO Director for Country Readiness Strengthening. Dr. Emiroglu discussed the importance of Sepsis prevention and control during health emergencies at a special bilateral meeting with Dr. Mariam Jashi, CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance.

Hon. Mariam Jashi, CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance, presented the 5 strategic pillars and actionable targets of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis. She also summarized the progress made since the launch of the first global strategy, including the establishment of the Global Sepsis Innovations Platform and the Global Sepsis Survivor and Family Committee. Finally, she presented the intention of the Global Sepsis Alliance to establish a High-Level Political Panel on Sepsis, with 10-12 political leaders from both LMICs and HICs, to consistently lead integration of Sepsis in high-level political dialogue at G7/G20, UN General Assembly, World Health Assembly, the Davos World Economic Forum and other global, regional and national forums.

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Statements by Strategic Partners

Strategic partners shared their support for the Global Sepsis Alliance and called for bolder cross-sectoral collaboration in the fight against Sepsis:

Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite, President of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, reaffirmed his commitment to the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis through his special video address for the event. He expressed gratitude to the Global Sepsis Alliance for its leadership and joint collaboration. In addition to the importance of political leadership for transformative changes in the Sepsis response, Dr. Leite highlighted the potential of AI-enabled tools in epidemiological and clinical management aspects of Sepsis.

Dr. Amany Asfour, MWIA President-Elect, representing the National Council for Women of Egypt, presented a detailed report from the Government of Egypt on the progress made in women’s health and wellbeing. She highlighted initiatives of the national government for the improvement of maternal health, including the prevention and management of Sepsis. Dr. Mariam Jashi once again thanked Dr. Asfour and the National Council for Women for co-organizing the first official World Health Assembly side-event on Sepsis.

Prof. Detlev Ganten, Cofounder of the Virchow Foundation and Virchow Prize, in his special video address, summarized the staggering numbers of the Sepsis burden. He reiterated that despite the catastrophic figures, with 11 million deaths annually and 40% of cases occurring among young children, Sepsis remains one of the most underrecognized and politically neglected global health challenges. Prof. Ganten commended the GSA for the launch of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis at the German Bundestag, as, for the first time, we have a structured, science-based multi-sectoral roadmap on how to reduce Sepsis-related deaths and disabilities with measurable targets and policy recommendations for countries at all levels of development. Prof. Ganten reaffirmed full support for the Global Sepsis Alliance for the establishment of a High-Level Political Panel for Sepsis around the 2025 World Sepsis Day.

Dr. Janet Diaz, Unit Head, Safe Scalable Care, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, briefly reviewed the ongoing collaboration with the Global Sepsis Alliance. She reiterated the importance of effective prevention and management of Sepsis during health emergencies and summarized the work of the World Health Organization in the development of guidance and toolkits in the field.

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Multistakeholder Engagement

The event also envisaged interventions from civil society organizations, including medical associations, youth representatives, and faith-based groups.

Rev. Nicole Ashwood, as the Programme Executive of the World Council of Churches, represented a fellowship of  352 member churches throughout the globe. The World Council of Churches has a  Commission of Churches on Health and Healing, which often addresses critical issues of health and health-related matters affecting men and women of faith. Rev. Nicole Ashwood thanked MWIA and GSA for the invitation to this important meeting and noted that, similar to their engagement in HIV/AIDS programs since the Beijing Conference and obstetric fistula, the World Council of Churches could be an important partner in awareness raising on Sepsis.

Patrick Ayres Taran, CEO of the Global Migration Policy Associates (GMPA), not only attended the WHA78 Sepsis Side Event, but had circulated a draft Brief on Sepsis risks and determinants among migrants, including the migrants living in urban settings worldwide, as well as in refugee and IDP camps. He noted that the Sepsis challenge addresses the bigger picture of migration and mobility for every health system in the world. He emphasized that full-scale implementation of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis requires all-inclusive migrant and gender-specific approaches.

Dr. Eliza Lo Chin, CEO of the American Medical Women’s Association, prepared a comprehensive report on clinical epidemiology, successes, and challenges in the national Sepsis response in the United States. Sepsis remains the leading cause of hospital-related deaths in the US and the second leading cause of maternal deaths in the country. She specifically highlighted the increased risks of maternal Sepsis since the adoption of the abortion ban laws.  She summarized ongoing education, training, and surveillance programs under the leadership of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the Core Element for Sepsis Care.

Anna Liakopoulou represented the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), one of the world’s oldest and largest student-run organizations, representing 1.2 million medical students from over 130 countries. In her speech, Anna highlighted the potential role of medical students in raising awareness on Sepsis as the leading cause of death in mothers, children, and patients. Students, especially in the digital era, can make a critical contribution to education and AI-enabled solutions. IFMSA expressed support for the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis; however, it highlighted the importance of stronger awareness raising on Sepsis as a preventable medical emergency. “Sepsis story should be told stronger with one voice” was one of the highlights of the speech.

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We thank each co-organizer and speaker of the event for the historic support in advancing the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis at the first official side-event of the World Health Assembly.

The 2025 World Sepsis Day is coming up on September 13, and if you're planning an event or activity, now is the time to order your materials from the WSD Online Shop to ensure they arrive in time.

WSD T-Shirt

€11.00

All items ship from Berlin, Germany, and international delivery – especially outside of Europe – can take some time. Placing your order now helps you avoid last-minute stress and ensures your materials arrive before September 13.

To support your efforts, the World Sepsis Day Online Shop offers a hand-selected collection of high-quality items designed to make your event both impactful and engaging. Whether you're organizing a hospital awareness day, a walk, a community info stand, or an online campaign, our materials can help you stand out.

From popular items like the WSD T-Shirt, WSD Balloons, and WSD Stickers, to useful giveaways like pens, bags, and lanyards – there’s something for every kind of event.

WSD Pen, 10 Pack

€7.50

And of course, all printed materials are also available as free downloads in our WSD Toolkit Section – including posters, infographics, educational clips, virtual backgrounds, and much more.

By ordering from the shop, you’re not only preparing for a successful and visible World Sepsis Day – you’re also helping support the ongoing work of the Global Sepsis Alliance to fight sepsis worldwide.

👉 Don’t wait – visit the WSD Online Shop today and get your materials on the way.

On 19 and 20 June, GSA CEO, Dr. Mariam Jashi, and Partnership Lead, Simone Mancini attended the H20 Summit, hosted by the G20 & G7 Health and Development Partnership at the World Health Organization headquarter in Geneva, under the guiding theme "Rebuilding Public Trust for Global Health – Coming Together for SDG30". The G20/G7 Partnership, convened by former Member of the European Parliament Alan Donnelly and the Executive Director Hatice Küçük Beton, advocates for collaboration between G20 and G7 health and finance ministers to promote healthcare delivery and synergies amongst diverse stakeholders. The H20 Summit provides a unique high-level platform for dialogue between policymakers, academia, civil society and international organizations.

WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus opened the summit highlighting the urgent need for innovation and partnerships in the context of changing disease burdens and funding disruptions. The two-day summit was joined by prominent leaders in the global health landscape including, among others, Sir Jeremy Farrar, newly appointed Assistant Director-General (ADG) of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control, H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC, Dr. Catharina Boehme, Assistant Director-General, External Relations and Governance, Dr. Georg Kippels, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Health, Germany, WHO.

The current critical context for global health, geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, and significant reductions in health and development aid were preponderant themes in this year’s discussions. The summit focused on the future of global health and finance, with an emphasis on building resilient, sustainable health systems and restoring public trust. Dr Jashi lead the breakout sessions on “New tools to guide innovative investments in global health”, that contributed to the final conclusion of the summit. Outcomes from this year’s summit will inform both the UN General Assembly’s upcoming high-level meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in September and the G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa in November.

From left to right: Dr Mariam Jashi; Roland Göede, Co-founder and CEO, Virchow Foundation; Hatice Küçük Beton, Executive Director of the G20/G7 health and Development Partnership; Alan Donnelly, Convenor of the G20 & G7 Health and Development Partnership; Simone Mancini, GSA Partnership Lead and Coordinator of the Regional Sepsis Alliances.

GSA also engaged with the distinguished guests and speakers of the summit. Both H.E. Dr. Jaleela bint Alsayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain, and H.E. Amb. Matthew Wilson, Permanent Representative of Barbados to the UN, expressed interest in collaborating with GSA on sepsis related initiatives. The interlocutors received copies of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis. The summit was also the opportunity to reinforce the relations with other strategic partners of GSA, such as Virchow Foundation and UNITE Parliamentarian Network for Global Health, and other relevant organisations such as CEPI.

In addition to high-level policy dialogue, two important reports were launched at the summit:

• The NCDs and Mental Health Global Legislators Report, which provides a practical toolkit for lawmakers to advance preventative health policy. NCDs represent a high-risk factor for sepsis development: underlying injuries or non-communicable diseases are linked to 15.8 million sepsis cases, and nearly half of all sepsis-related deaths.

• The Health Taxonomy Report, suggests a new investment framework to help stakeholders and interested funding partners align with public health goals.

GSA had previously contributed to the G20/G7 Partnership’s Global Legislator Report on antimicrobial resistance, where consensus was build on the necessity to tackle sepsis in any policy targeting AMR.

On the fringes of the summit, Dr Jashi also met with WHO’s Lee A. Wallis, Lead of Emergency and Critical Care, and with Teri Reynolds, Head of the Clinical Services and Systems Unit, to discuss several points of collaboration, including the ACAN Network and the upcoming World Sepsis Day, on September 13.

GSA remains committed to engaging further with global partners such as WHO and the G20 & G7 Health and Development Partnership, to ensure sepsis is recognized as a priority within the broader health and development agendas, and to advocate for resilient health systems that leave no one behind.

We are pleased to share the recent publication:
"Management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings: global expert consensus statements using a Delphi method"
Published on 23 December 2024 in Intensive Care Medicine.

This important study, led by Prof. Louise Thwaites, Dr. Prashant Nasa, Prof. Sheila Myatra, Dr. Brett Abbenbroek, and the Asia Pacific Sepsis Alliance (APSA) Steering Group, brings together international expertise to improve sepsis management in healthcare systems with limited resources.

Key Highlights:

• Developed through a structured, multi-round Delphi process

• 70% of expert contributors were from low- and lower-middle-income countries, ensuring relevance to real-world frontline conditions

• Provides practical, context-sensitive clinical recommendations for resource-constrained settings

• Complements the existing Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines, offering additional guidance where advanced diagnostics and therapies may not be available

• Includes clear visualizations and an APSA Position Statement to support the practical application of the recommendations

This global consensus provides vital, actionable guidance for clinicians, health leaders, and policymakers working to strengthen sepsis care and outcomes, particularly in the regions where the burden is greatest and resources are most limited.

Dr. Mariam Jashi, CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), participated in the 2025 EU Global Health Forum, convened by the European Commission on May 15, 2025.

This second forum served as a structured dialogue among key global health stakeholders to assess progress on the EU Global Health Strategy (EUGHS), adopted in 2022. The event aimed to ensure accountability and reinforce the EU’s leadership in global health. Key topics included global health financing, emergency preparedness and response, lessons learned, local manufacturing of health products in partner countries, and universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). The overarching goal was to maintain momentum toward a healthier and more equitable global future.

During the Opening Session, Dr. Jashi addressed a high-level panel that included Lorena Boix Alonso, Deputy Director-General of DG SANTE, and Martin Seychell, Deputy Director-General of DG INTPA, co-organizers of the Forum.

• She commended the European Commission for convening the event at a time of diminishing multilateralism and emphasized the importance of renewed EU leadership in re-prioritizing global health.

• Dr. Jashi highlighted the immense human and societal burden of sepsis, which is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths globally. In the European region alone, over 3 million people are affected annually, resulting in approximately 680,000 deaths.

• She spotlighted the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis, launched at the German Parliament in September 2014, and referenced the Call to Action for EU Institutions and Member States, presented at the European Sepsis Alliance meeting in March 2025 at the European Parliament.

• Finally, Dr. Jashi raised concern over the limited visibility of sepsis in EU health policies and programs and encouraged DG SANTE and DG INTPA to consider stronger integration of this medical emergency and global health threat.

As part of her visit, Dr. Jashi also held a bilateral meeting with Fabian Desimpel, Public Health Advisor at the Cabinet of Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health. Simone Mancini, GSA’s Partnership Lead and the Coordinator of the European Sepsis Alliance, joined the meeting virtually.

The Global Sepsis Alliance commended Minister Vandenbroucke for championing Belgium’s first National Report on Sepsis. This landmark achievement followed a major media campaign centered on Ilse Malfait, which brought national attention to Sepsis and led to the appointment of Prof. Erika Vlieghe to coordinate the report. In just six months, Prof. Vlieghe led a team of 62 multidisciplinary experts – including clinicians, public health professionals, and Sepsis survivors – to develop the report, with significant input from GSA member organization Sepsibel and Sepsis survivor Ilse Malfait.

Dr. Jashi presented the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis to Dr. Desimpel, highlighting Belgium as one of 15 leading countries worldwide that prioritize sepsis at the national level.

Mariam Jashi and Simone Mancini emphasized that Belgium’s report lays the groundwork for the development of a National Sepsis Plan. The GSA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Belgian Ministry of Health, Sepsibel, and other national stakeholders with any necessary inputs or technical expertise needed to advance this critical initiative.

The Global Sepsis Alliance – on behalf of Prof. Tex Kissoon and Dr. Mariam Jashi as Co-chairs of the 5th World Sepsis Congress Scientific Committee – is delighted to publish the final report of our annual flagship event.

A total of 11,945 people from 174 countries registered for this World Sepsis Congress, with 67% of participants joining from low- and middle-income countries. This underscores a critical truth: sepsis is a global health threat that knows no borders and is not confined by the strength of a country’s healthcare system. It perfectly reflects our mission – to share knowledge about sepsis with every corner of the world.

We’re deeply grateful for your participation – it was truly a pleasure to have you with us.

Your feedback has been especially meaningful to us. Hearing how much you valued the congress is both encouraging and inspiring. You can explore the full report using the gallery above or download it as a PDF below. Please feel free to share it with colleagues, friends, and family.

Finally, we want to seize the opportunity to thank all members of the Scientific Committee for their invaluable contributions to the development of this robust scientific program. We also want to thank sepsis survivors and families for their input and participation in the impactful panel discussion, and Marvin Zick for the outstanding management of the event and elaboration of this report.

Lastly, let this serve as a reminder that all 15 sessions of the congress are available to rewatch on our YouTube channel or listen to as a podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

World Sepsis Congress will return in April 2026.

We at the Global Sepsis Alliance and World Sepsis Day are pleased to share a major update in the ongoing effort to strengthen sepsis policy in the United States: the SEPSIS Act (S.1929), the bipartisan bill first introduced in the Senate last September—was officially reintroduced into the new Congress on Thursday, June 5th.

This legislation represents a significant milestone in the national response to the sepsis crisis. The bill is being co-sponsored by Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), and Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ), reflecting growing bipartisan momentum. It has also been endorsed by the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals, two leading healthcare organizations in the United States.

To mark this important development, our colleagues at END SEPSIS – The Legacy of Rory Staunton, co-founded by Ciaran and Orlaith Staunton, returned to Capitol Hill to meet with key lawmakers and staff. Meetings with members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee focused on the devastating human and economic burden of sepsis across the country.

END SEPSIS has long championed the need for a comprehensive federal response to sepsis and remains fully committed to the passage of this landmark legislation. With bipartisan leadership and strong healthcare sector support, the organization is working to advance the bill and protect millions of Americans from one of the leading causes of death and healthcare spending in the nation.

For a detailed overview of the SEPSIS Act's proposed funding and goals, please refer to the official press release.

This renewed legislative momentum builds on earlier progress, including the allocation of $3 million to the CDC for sepsis-related initiatives in 2024, which we reported on here.
You can also revisit our original announcement of the bill’s first introduction in the Senate in September 2024 here.

We at the Global Sepsis Alliance and World Sepsis Day fully support this continued legislative push and commend END SEPSIS and its partners for their tireless work in the fight against sepsis.

In August 2021, I am stricken with sepsis with severe organ failure. Blunt bad luck strikes me. The consequences are significant and not only for myself, but also for those around me, my wife, children, and friends.

From a healthy 71-year-old man, I became an elderly man with all sorts of defects. With the help of many physiotherapists, a psychologist, and others, I scrambled up and regained my life, supported by my Mieke, children, and grandchildren, who give me joy in life again with much encouragement.

Unfortunately, there are permanent limitations, I will have to learn to cope with this. I am a fighter and not someone who sits behind the geraniums. To the best of my ability, I have picked up my life again.

“Don’t whine” will be my motto. No whining, and if I can't get through life with two wheels, then let's get through life with three.

What Happened

As a man of then 71, I undergo prostate surgery with the green-laser technique at the end of January 2021. I have had symptoms of my prostate for years by then. To solve them for good, I undergo surgery: the size of my prostate will be reduced by 70%. Fortunately, no other nasties are found. After a day at the academic hospital Radboudumc, I am discharged. I go home to regain my strength. As after a few months the urinary problems do return, I visit the urology outpatient clinic again for a check-up at the end of August. Although I am on time, after waiting an hour for the urologist, I am helped by a nurse who is not actually on duty. She had 27 years of experience, so she does the examination herself, a peek inside the bladder. For men of my age, an all too familiar hassle. Trousers off, and there I sit on a kind of delivery chair. She inserts a catheter, which makes its way to my bladder. The nurse looks at the screen and sees nothing special. After the treatment, I return to Malden.

The pain is severe and persists. On Mieke's advice, I go to the GP and come home with antibiotic pills. But the pain gets worse. I get feverish, and at night I go downstairs because I feel bad. Later at night, I call Mieke at the bottom of the stairs. The temperature is over 40 degrees, something is very wrong. After that, I pass out, and I can't remember anything of what happened next.

Reflection on the Nurse’s Actions

Looking back, I started questioning whether the nurse should have acted differently. Mieke and I even wrote a letter to the urologist at Radboudumc. In the letter, we asked whether it would have been better for the procedure to be postponed and carried out by a urologist instead of the nurse, even though she had 27 years of experience. The pain I experienced and the subsequent complications made me wonder whether things could have gone another way.

We never sought legal action because we knew that wouldn't restore my health, but the event marked the beginning of a long and difficult journey, and I wanted to better understand what went wrong.

Mieke calls the 112, the ambulance arrives in 10 minutes. The paramedics see immediately that something is very wrong. Fluids are immediately administrated and, with the siren blaring, we are taken to the Radboudumc in Nijmegen. I am immediately driven to the ICU and hooked up to various machines, IVs are inserted, and tests are initiated. Quickly, the doctors conclude that I have suffered septic shock with severe organ failure. My heart and lungs are still functioning well. However, my liver, kidneys, and intestine have suffered severe damage. An E. coli bacteria, entered my bloodstream.

Fragments from 9 Days in Coma (August 28 – September 9, 2021)

During the following nine days in the ICU, while I was in a coma, Mieke kept a daily record as advised by the hospital. I was rushed to Radboudumc, placed on a ventilator, and given strong antibiotics. My condition was critical—organs were failing, and doctors feared potential brain damage. Over the course of several days, I showed slight signs of improvement: muscle tension, tremors, brief moments of eye movement and frowning. Slowly, I became more responsive—first to voice, then to touch. Eventually, I opened my eyes, nodded, and responded to questions with small gestures. I was weaned off the ventilator, began breathing on my own, and even tried sitting up and cycling with assistance. By September 9, I was able to talk again—laboriously, but unmistakably present.

Rehabilitation

Finally, on October 14, I was discharged from the Radboudumc and transported by ambulance to the rehabilitation centre Klimmendaal in Arnhem.

After 2 months of intensive training with physio and occupational therapy, talks with social work and the psychologist there and 15 kilos lighter, I belong to the realm of those living again.

I survived because:

• I got to the Radboudumc quickly from Malden, and

• I had fantastic doctors and nurses at the bedside—people with knowledge, people who know what sepsis is.

But even more factors have been decisive. ‘Thanks to your parents' genes AND a good condition, you survived,’ are the words of the ICU head. Yes, I survived, also thanks to the quick admission, my good condition, and definitely thanks to my parents' genes. I crawled through the eye of the needle. A year later, I visited my room in the ICU and also the family room (nerve room, according to Jan) under the guidance of an ICU doctor. It didn't do much for me.

Sepsis Awareness

Many people have heard of blood poisoning, but they have never heard of sepsis. It is not widely known. Although many people contract sepsis in the Netherlands and more than 10,000 people die from it every year, this occurrence is unfortunately overshadowed by other diseases or ignorance. Ten thousand may not be a large number, but the consequences are huge: it is the fourth-deadliest disease in the Netherlands. And if you survive it, you usually suffer damage to your body and mind.

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The article above was extrapolated from Wilbert’s booklet “Don’t whine” with his explicit consent. The views in the article do not necessarily represent those of the Global Sepsis Alliance. They are not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The whole team here at the Global Sepsis Alliance and World Sepsis Day wishes to thank Wilbert for sharing his story and for contributing to raise awareness for sepsis.