Event Wrap Up!
Celebrating Sepsis Heroes Evening – A Great Success
World Sepsis Day, September 13, 2012, marked the first Celebrating Sepsis Heroes event, which was held in New York City. Hosted by Sepsis Alliance, the evening recognized people who have made an significant impact on raising sepsis awareness.
The event, attended by over 100 people, was held at Arena NYC. This was made possible by owner Scott Alling’s generosity. Over drinks and wonderful food, guests mingled and made new acquaintances, all in the name of sepsis awareness.
Presentation
The presentation began with Sepsis Alliance web designer and board member Scott Carr acting as emcee. Scott talked about the purpose of the evening and thanked everyone for being part of the important evening.
Scott’s introduction was followed by a speech given by Dr. Carl Flatley, the founder of Sepsis Alliance. He spoke of why SA existed and the work that needs to be done. As Carl talked about his daughter, Erin, who died of sepsis, the audience was reminded that the organization was brought about because of Carl’s desire to keep other families from experiencing the devastation that touched the Flatley family 10 years ago.
James O'Brien, Jennifer Ludwin, Carl Flatley
Awards
Dr. James O’Brien, an intensive care physician, a very active member of SA, and also a board member handed out the awards to the honorees. First up was Jennifer Ludwin, who many people may recognize as the sepsis survivor in the SA video, Sepsis: Emergency. Jennifer is an amazing young woman whose goal is to work with others who have experienced amputations, to help them as they navigate through their “new normal,” as she calls it.
Following Jennifer, Maureen Bisognano, president and CEO of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, spoke about the work that has been done and remains to be done in improving care for patients who have developed sepsis.
The second award was presented to North Shore-Long Island Jewish Healthcare System in recognition for its leadership role in improving care for sepsis patients across all of their hospitals. NS-LIJ also organized and hosted the Merinoff Symposium in 2010, a ground-breaking international conference on sepsis which helped spur the formation of the Global Sepsis Alliance, the organization behind World Sepsis Day.
Michael Dowling
The award was accepted by Michael Dowling, president and CEO of North Shore-LIJ. He spoke of the continued need for healthcare professionals to do more, to work harder, and to challenge themselves to strive for excellence.
The third award was presented to Spike Out Sepsis, an event that raises awareness and funds for Sepsis Alliance. SOS is a sand volleyball tournament that is growing more popular every year. Cofounders and friends Jennifer MacDermott and Alicia Rendon were ICU nurses at the Ohio State University Medical Center who felt that there had to be a fun and different way to engage people in learning more about sepsis and to raise funds. Their answer was Spike Out Sepsis.
James O'Brien, Jennifer MacDermott, Alicia Rendon, Carl Flatley
The fourth and final award was presented to Jennifer Anderson, who in 2003 began the Erin Kay Flatley B.U.G.S. Classic inshore fishing tournament. Jennifer is Erin’s older sister and she felt that she had to do something to keep Erin’s memory alive. Combining the family’s love of fishing and Erin’s desire to teach people, the fishing tournament brings people together as they learn about sepsis, remember Erin, and donate to the cause.
Jennifer Anderson and Carl Flatley
Thank you everyone who participated in the evening and save the date, September 12, 2013. That is when our second annual Celebrating Sepsis Heroes Evening will be taking place.
If you know of someone who you feel should be nominated as a Sepsis Hero for next year, be sure to watch the newsletter and social media (Facebook, Twitter (@SepsisAlliance, @SepsisHeroes), and LinkedIn) for an announcement on when nominations will be accepted.
See you next year!
Maureen Bisognano and Scott Carr Before the presentation
Watching a clip from the video, Sepsis: Emergency
