Maddy – Sepsis Australia

JUST ASK, COULD IT BE SEPSIS?

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to any infection that progresses quickly and requires immediate attention. Know the signs and symptoms (one or all of the following may be present).

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SEPSIS

Rapid breathing

Rapid heart rate

Confusion, slurred speech or disorientation

Fever or shivering

Muscle pain

Not passing urine

Discoloured skin

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO!

Early-stage sepsis:

Sufferers are generally unwell, may display one or all of the signs and symptoms, feel worse than when previously sick and there is concern
Contact healthdirect at https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/ OR Call 1800 022 222 (24 hours) and ask…could it be sepsis?

Later stage sepsis:

Sufferers are seriously unwell, likely to display significant changes in multiple signs and symptoms, feel like they might die and there is serious concern
CALL 000 Ambulance or if quicker go immediately to the closest Emergency Department and ask….could it be sepsis?

Key considerations:

If concerned get advice immediately
If seriously concerned get treatment immediately
Inflammation due to infection is normal but in sepsis the inflammation response is uncontrolled, it may start mildly but rapidly escalate to critical illness
Sepsis is difficult to recognise as it may not have an obvious cause, it can look like viral or bacterial illnesses such as flu, gastro or urinary tract infection
Trust your intuition…if it doesn’t feel right TAKE ACTION and always ask…could it be sepsis?

symptom checker Call 000

As an 18-year-old Honours Law student, Maddy was intelligent, beautiful, very independent, wickedly funny with sarcastic undertones (sometimes irreverent) and a great lover of all of God’s creatures, in particular dogs. Maddy was larger than life, a high achiever that typically got what she wanted, through sheer dedication and perseverance.

Maddy attended the Queensland Tennis School of Excellence at Kelvin Grove State College, during her high school years. She loved the social side of Tennis and was much loved by her Tennis Fraternity. She fought hard in every game to make sure she won as she was very competitive. After leaving school and whilst attending University, she returned to her love of tennis by coaching young children in the sport at Southern Cross Tennis. This was an extraordinary effort on her part as she was studying a double degree and working as many hours as she could at Grill’d, to earn her own income.

Maddy worked hard, was loved and respected by all those that she worked with, and she enjoyed spending her money on the finer things in life. Maddy was meticulous at looking after herself. She paid attention to her fitness, attended the Gym, spared no expense with her makeup and hair, and it showed. She was a very pretty young lady.

That’s why we are still coming to terms with how, just two weeks shy of her 19th Birthday, Maddy became ill with Influenza, developed pneumonia, and just over one week later, died from Sepsis, in Intensive Care.

Through Maddy’s story, her legacy, she will continue to be an achiever by saving the lives of others. Please educate yourself, your family and friends about Sepsis. Share Maddy’s story. Get the Flu Shot and know the signs of Sepsis. It might not just be the flu. Ask the question ‘Could it be Sepsis?’

To learn more about Maddy’s story go to her website Maddy’s story