Grant support from Hanger Charitable Foundation has helped fund the production of a public service announcement (PSA) series about sepsis.
Dubbed KNOW SEPSIS, the series aims to educate viewers about sepsis, and how to spot it early.
According to Sepsis Alliance, sepsis is the third most common cause of death in the United States, with more than a quarter of a million deaths annually.
Among those with sepsis, 80% acquire it outside of hospitals from everyday infections such as the flu, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, or even from infected cuts and scrapes. However, because so few know what sepsis is, or its signs and symptoms, many do not seek help early enough, making treatment more difficult and less likely to be effective, explains a media release from Hanger Foundation.
“Among the consequences of sepsis, amputations are all too common, creating physical and emotional challenges for many survivors. These PSAs, as well as the awareness they generate, have the potential to reduce harm to thousands of patients every year,” explains Tom Heymann, president and executive director of Sepsis Alliance, in the release.
The first PSA released in the series features Dr Marnie Doubek, a New Jersey-based physician who almost lost her son due to sepsis. In the segment, which recently began airing airing on television networks, she shares her experience to illustrate what sepsis is and how it can be prevented, per the release.
“The Hanger Charitable Foundation is dedicated to the well-being of those with physical challenges in the communities that we serve,² says Vinit Asar, president and CEO of Hanger Inc, and chair of the Hanger Charitable Foundation, in the release.
“Sepsis is a stealth disease that adversely impacts the physical abilities of many people. We are proud to help support Sepsis Alliance, the leading US-based sepsis advocacy organization, to help raise awareness and stop this disease in its tracks,” Asar adds.
[Source: Hanger Charitable Foundation]
