Last year, recognizable landmarks across Vancouver lit up pink in recognition of World Sepsis Day. This year, on Friday, September 13, the Action on Sepsis Research Cluster is spreading the word about the risk of sepsis and the life-saving researching taking place in our city by hosting a public awareness event in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
Sepsis occurs when an infection damages the body’s organs. If not treated early and aggressively, it can be fatal. In Canada, nearly 30,000 Canadians are diagnosed with sepsis each year, and it is a leading cause of death for children and newborns internationally. Despite this, sepsis is poorly understood and was only recently recognized as a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.
The Action on Sepsis Research Cluster includes researchers and clinicians from the Institute for Global Health at BC Children’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia, along with patients, public end users and health care policymakers who are active in the fight against sepsis in BC and globally.
On September 13 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, join health care professionals, patients and health researchers in Robson Square for activities like a sepsis trivia wheel and an interactive ‘map of knowledge’ where you can share your understanding and experience of sepsis. There will be prizes, music and, of course, the classic pink World Sepsis Day décor.
If you can’t attend in person, you’re encouraged to join in online. Follow @WorldSepsisDay, @ActionOnSepsis, and @CICHInfo on Twitter and share your stories and experiences using the hashtag #WorldSepsisDay. Patients who have lived experience of sepsis will be sharing in person and online their personal stories of navigating this complex condition and how it has impacted their lives.
This event is hosted in partnership with the Centre of International Child Health at BC Children’s, BC Patient Safety and Quality Council, BC Emergency Medicine Network, and Child Health BC.
