Actor Jason Watkins and his wife Clara Francis starred in an ITV film titled Jason and Clara: In memory of Modi.
Maud died of sepsis at the age of two and a half. Sepsis is a condition in which the body’s immune system overreacts to an infection; In Maud’s case, she died of a violent cough which later led to the development of croup.
Since then, Watkins and Francis have been trying to raise awareness of the disease, and Watkins has been a patron of Child Bereavement UK for over a decade, along with his role as an ambassador for the UK Sepsis Trust.
Speaking of good morning britainWatkins said they wanted to make a documentary to show that a family like hers experienced “the worst thing that can happen to a parent” after losing a child, and also saw an opportunity to speak out about sepsis.
What is sepsis?
According to the Sepsis Alliance, “Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.”
Despite significant progress in understanding the immunological mechanisms of sepsis, it continues to be a major medical problem, affecting 750,000 people in the United States and nearly 50 million worldwide each year.
“The onset of sepsis occurs when your immune cells switch from fighting infection to fighting your own tissues and organs,” says Emily Brant, assistant professor of intensive care and emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.
“When sepsis sets in, the immune system can often damage the heart, lungs, kidneys, or blood cells, among other major body systems. Inflammation in the blood vessels can cause them to leak, drastically reducing blood flow to the brain and other organs.
“When this happens, a person’s blood pressure can become dangerously low, which is a severe form of sepsis known as septic shock.”
What are the symptoms of sepsis?
The National Health Service recommends that a caregiver call 999 if an infant or young child has any of the following symptoms of sepsis (not necessarily all):
- Blue, grey, pale or mottled skin, lips or tongue – these are easier to spot on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet if you have brown or black skin.
- a rash that doesn’t go away when you roll a glass over it, like meningitis
- Difficulty breathing (you may hear wheezing sounds or your stomach sucks under your chest), shortness of breath, or very fast breathing
- a weak, high-pitched scream that is not her normal scream
- does not respond as usual or is not interested in food or ordinary activities
- Feel sleepier than usual or have difficulty waking up
Watkins is partnering with the UK Sepsis Trust to campaign to better respond to signs of infection. “It struck me that a healthcare system that does not recognize the possibility of a fatal disease is not up to the mark,” he explained.
The Foundation’s campaign led to a 2017 UN resolution and a global sepsis awareness campaign that now recommends that any child who develops an infection in a doctor’s office or emergency room should be tested for sepsis.
Jason & Clara: In Memory of Modi at 21:00 on Thursday 30 March on ITV1
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.