On World Sepsis Day, Rory Staunton Foundation Launches First-in-the-Nation Sepsis Education Curriculum & Groundbreaking Initiatives for Sepsis Awareness
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) September 11, 2017 -- On September 13, World Sepsis Day, the Rory Staunton Foundation for Sepsis Awareness will host its 4th National Forum on Sepsis at the American Federation of Teachers headquarters in Washington, D.C.. Keynote speakers will include Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers and Denise Cardo, Director, DHQP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sepsis claims more lives in the United States than AIDS, breast and prostate cancers, and stroke combined–up to 500,000 annually, according to the CDC. A potentially fatal condition stemming from infection, sepsis is the number one cause of death in U.S. hospitals and costs the U.S. healthcare system a staggering $27 billion per year.
Greater awareness is critical in reducing the catastrophic death toll form sepsis. At this year's event, the Foundation and its collaborators will launch a series of tools and initiatives to expand sepsis awareness and education, particularly targeting young people.
"When our son Rory died in April 2012 from undiagnosed sepsis, only 40% of Americans had heard of sepsis,” said Orlaith and Ciaran Staunton, co-founders of the Rory Staunton Foundation. “Today, that number is almost 60%–and that is due to a relentless pursuit of public awareness and education campaigns to save lives. The initiatives launched at our Forum will bring the issue of sepsis into classrooms and homes and onto social media. Knowledge is power and it is how we will defeat this silent killer. "
1. A Complete Sepsis Education Curriculum for Every New York Child in Grades K-12
At the request of New York State’s Departments of Health and Education, the Rory Staunton Foundation, in collaboration with the American Federation of Teachers, has produced the nation’s first comprehensive K-12 sepsis education curriculum. Every school in the state will receive the curriculum, with lessons designed to progressively educate students about the importance of a ‘back to basics’ approach to preventing infection, understanding the risks and signs of sepsis, and taking responsibility for educating others about infection and sepsis by devising public health awareness campaigns.
The lessons and resources are available on the Rory Staunton Foundation website.
They are also available on the AFT’s award-winning Share My Lesson platform which is utilized by 1.2 million teachers nationwide.
2. An animated and sharable video about sepsis–all you need to know in under 2 minutes!
'Sepsis: What You Need to Know to Save a Life' is a short, animated video about the dangers, impact and signs of Sepsis. Designed to be shared easily and widely on social media and via news outlets it is also embedded into the new education curriculum.
3. Ouch! I Got a Cut! – A New Read-Along Picture Book for Young Children
This picture book for young children teaches the importance of a ‘back to basics’ approach to wound care emphasizes the three "C's": When you get a Cut–Clean and Cover! This simple, easy to remember approach prevents infection and saves lives. Ouch! I Got a Cut! is available on Amazon.
4. #Fly2FightSepsis Campaign
The #Fly2FightSepsis Campaign is a major sepsis awareness initiative inspired by Rory Staunton’s love of aviation. In partnership with Roche Diagnostics, #Fly2FightSepsis is a social media-based campaign that uses paper planes to raise awareness and drive conversations about Sepsis.
Participation is simple and fun. It just takes two minutes, a piece of paper and a smartphone. Participants can dedicate their plane and record its flight. Videos can be shared on social media with #fly2fightsepsis. We look forward to releasing more details on this exciting new campaign in the coming weeks!
About the Rory Staunton Foundation
The Rory Staunton Foundation was established by Ciaran and Orlaith Staunton following the preventable death of their 12-year-old son, Rory, from sepsis in 2012. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the recognition and treatment of sepsis through public education and improved hospital protocols. Sepsis is the leading cause of death for infants and children worldwide. http://www.RoryStauntonFoundationForSepsis.org
Ciaran Staunton, Rory Staunton Foundation for Sepsis Prevention, http://www.RoryStauntonFoundationForSepsis.org, +1 917.251.0739, [email protected]
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