- On Friday January 20th 2017 at 7.30 pm KINGSWOOD SCHOOL, RUH healthcare professionals and members of the community will rally together to raise awareness of sepsis at the screening of a new feature film Starfish
- Starfish tells the extraordinary story of Tom Ray, who lost all four limbs and parts of his face to sepsis after misdiagnoses and delayed treatment
- Kingswood School in Bath will host a screening of the film, giving locals the chance to learn about sepsis and how to recognise the symptoms
- Sepsis kills 44,000 people each year in the UK, but better public understanding of the condition could save 14,000 lives annually
On 20th January 2017 health care professionals from RUH Bath and members of the local community will come together to learn about sepsis at an exclusive screening of new feature film Starfish, generously hosted by Kingswood School, Bath.
Joining forces with leading charity the UK Sepsis Trust (UKST), Kingswood School will host the viewing of Starfish, which tells the true story of the Ray family’s survival in the face of a devastating condition. Tom Ray lost all four limbs and suffered facial disfigurements with catastrophic consequences for him and his family. Their experiences on film give people from Bath the opportunity to learn about sepsis – how to identify it, and what to do if you recognise the symptoms.
Sepsis, or blood poisoning, is the reaction to an infection in which the body attacks its own organs. If not identified and treated quickly, it can lead rapidly to organ failure and death, and leaves thousands of survivors with life-changing disabilities. The condition affects adults and children alike. Hitting 150,000 people in the UK annually and resulting in 44,000 deaths, earlier recognition and treatment could save 14,000 lives every year, and save the NHS £314 million per annum.
Everyone is welcome to the evening which will commence at 7.30pm in the Kingswood School theatre, with a film start time of 8pm. Tickets are £10 per head for adults, £7 for children under 18 and other concessions, to include welcome drink and. All proceeds will be donated to the UK Sepsis Trust, and donations and a raffle will also be held on the evening. To purchase tickets, contact Hayley Smith, hjs@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Said Kingswood Head of Drama, Kate Nash: “The Drama department at Kingswood choose two charities to support each year, raising over £5000 in the last three years. I came across a video on Facebook by a mum who had lost her four year old son to Sepsis and it frightened me because I knew nothing about how common it was to die from the condition. It’s impossible to see something like that, have your eyes opened and then walk away and forget all about it.”
Dr Lesley Jordan, RUH Sepsis Lead will be present to answer any questions and to share the improvements in Sepsis management at the RUH, which has been recognized nationally.
UKST has been working closely with Crossday Productions, Origami Films and Genesius Pictures.
“One of the most affecting British films of the year” (Movie Review), and from the makers of My Left Foot and Bloody Sunday, Starfish stars Golden Globe winner Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), as Tom’s wife Nicola, and BAFTA winner Tom Riley, who plays Tom Ray himself.
UKST has called for a public awareness campaign since the charity’s formation in 2012. Following continued lobbying and support from Melissa Mead (who lost her 12 month old son William to sepsis in 2014), Public Health England has begun collaboration with UKST on a public health awareness campaign, highlighting symptoms in children. Campaign materials – leaflets, posters and symptom checker cards – in GP surgeries, A&E departments and pharmacies all over England will empower members of the public to ‘Just ASK: could it be sepsis?’ when they’re feeling unwell.
Dr Ron Daniels BEM, Chief Executive of the UK Sepsis Trust and global sepsis expert, comments: Starfish seems to leave the word ‘sepsis’ burned into viewers’ memories: once you’ve seen it, the symptoms and consequences of this catastrophic condition are unforgettable.
The support of Kingswood School and the RUH plays an invaluable role in furthering our critical cause, and we’d like to thank them for joining us in the ongoing fight to raise standards of sepsis care. Clinicians and members of the public can save thousands of lives every year if they just ask: could it be sepsis?”