Little Peggy Bradford contracted sepsis and nearly died.
Four months later and Peggy has thankfully made a full recovery.
The Bradford family invited 999 call handler, Bryan Cox and Paramedic, Lee Collings into their home to say thank you (scroll down for video)
Sepsis can be triggered by an infection in any part of the body.
The most common sites of infection leading to sepsis are the lungs, urinary tract, tummy (abdomen) and pelvis.
What causes the symptoms of sepsis?
Usually, your immune system keeps an infection limited to 1 place. This is known as a localised infection.
Your body produces white blood cells, which travel to the site of the infection to destroy the germs causing infection.
A series of biological processes occur, such as tissue swelling, which helps fight the infection and prevents it spreading. This process is known as inflammation.
If your immune system is weak or an infection is particularly severe, it can quickly spread through the blood into other parts of the body.
This causes the immune system to go into overdrive and the inflammation affects the entire body.
This can cause more problems than the initial infection, as widespread inflammation damages tissue and interferes with blood flow.
The interruption in blood flow leads to a dangerous drop in blood pressure, which stops oxygen reaching your organs and tissues.
People at risk
Everybody is potentially at risk of developing sepsis from minor infections.
But some people are more at risk of sepsis, including:
- babies younger than 1 year
- people over 75
- people who are frail
- people with diabetes
- people with weak immune systems
- people who are having chemotherapy treatment
- women who have just given birth or recently been pregnant (including those who have had a miscarriage or abortion)
- people who have recently had surgery
- people who have recently had a serious illness
Before you go...
WE NEED YOUR HELP.Here at Emergency Services News, we aim to tell you stories that the mainstream media are not interested in reporting. Whilst the MSM love to berate and ridicule the emergency services, who is there to report on the realities of serving on the front line?
Emergency Services News is currently a loss-making entity. But our team of volunteers, all former emergency services personnel, do not do it for the money.
We do it because we are sick and tired of the mainstream media constantly trying to undermine the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep you and your family safe.
How many MSM journalists who speak ill of the emergency services have actually dared to don the uniform and risk their own lives to save the life of a complete stranger? If you would like to help back our mission of reporting on fact-based news, then please consider helping to support us financially.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
