Governor Proclaims Sepsis Awareness Month 2021

WHEREAS, September has been nationally recognized as Sepsis Awareness Month by Sepsis Alliance to bring awareness to the serious and potentially fatal medical condition known as sepsis; and

WHEREAS, sepsis results from an overwhelming immune response to infection, whereby immune chemicals released into the blood to combat infection trigger widespread inflammation; and

WHEREAS, sepsis can be treated with immediate diagnosis and care, but must be treated as a medical emergency, as it contributes to tissue damage and organ failure; and

WHEREAS, each year, sepsis is responsible for at least 270,000 deaths in the United States, with young children and the elderly experiencing the greatest number of sepsis-related deaths; and

WHEREAS, sepsis kills more Americans than prostate cancer, breast cancer, and opioid overdoses combined, it is the most expensive cause of hospitalization in the United States; and

WHEREAS, despite the severe danger and widespread occurrence of this illness, a survey conducted by Sepsis Alliance found that only 12% of U.S. adults know the symptoms of sepsis;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim September, 2021, as “SEPSIS AWARENESS MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.