Tullamore town hall to go red tonight to mark World Sepsis Day

Tullamore town hall will go red tonight to mark World Sepsis Day and to honour late local man John O'Rourke.

Today, Wednesday, September 13, is #WorldSepsisDay and people are asked to learn how to spot the signs and symptoms of sepsis.

Knowing how to recognise sepsis could save a life.

Signs of sepsis include slurred speech and confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain/fever, passing no urine all day, severe breathlessness, skin mottled or discoloured.

Visit hse.ie/sepsis for more information #RecogniseSepsis @WorldSepsisDay @hselive

The late John O'Rourke's daughter Aisling is on a mission to increase awareness of sepsis and its devastating impact on lives everywhere.

Aisling, who is a communications coach and media trainer said she had been heartened to receive a letter of condolence from Offaly County Council at the time of her father's death.
''My father died on November 14 2020 in what can only be described as brutal circumstances. My mother and I had been caring for him since his diagnosis with AL Amyloidosis in February 2018. On November 13 2020 he complained of feeling unwell and deteriorated rapidly over the course of the day and died in Tullamore Hospital at 2pm on November 14.''

Aisling says that her family is ''well used to dealing with health issues, caring for loved ones and attending medical professionals.'' However, she says they were not aware of the signs and symptoms of sepsis.

''My father, as some of you will know, was a proud Offaly man. He was raised outside Walsh Island in a little-known townland called Ballinakill and went on to become a
lifelong public servant. He travelled the country supporting Offaly hurlers and footballers and was a dedicated member of Tullamore Golf Club. He believed passionately in public service. He was a highly respected Inspector at the Department of Agriculture and represented Ireland at EU level across Europe on several occasions.''
Aisling said that after the death of her father and in line with his wishes, the family asked his friends to plant native Irish trees in his honour. ''We were blown away by the response. Now in line with my father's passionate belief in public service, I am working to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis. Sepsis is a medical emergency in the same way that a heart attack or a stroke is. I want to encourage the public to never be afraid to ask 'Could this be sepsis?'.

More people die in Ireland each year from sepsis than stroke,'' said Aisling.
''My father died at the age of 67 as a result of sepsis, he lost his life to a condition which is not always fatal if it is caught on time. I want to do what I can to prevent other families from suffering the heartbreak of losing a loved one to sepsis,'' she added.