Alabama has declared September as Sepsis Awareness Month, joining a national effort to educate more people about this life-threatening medical emergency. The proclamation is part of an awareness campaign supported by Sepsis Alliance, a national organization working to increase public understanding of sepsis and help save lives.

What is Sepsis?

Sepsis occurs when the body has an extreme response to an infection, creating a medical emergency that can become life-threatening. According to Sepsis Alliance, sepsis is the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals, but public awareness of the condition remains critically low.

Each year, Sepsis Alliance encourages survivors, advocates, and other community members across the country to request proclamations from their states recognizing September as Sepsis Awareness Month. That advocacy has now resulted in an official proclamation in Alabama.

An Alabama resident has already received a copy of the proclamation in recognition of their advocacy and work to bring greater awareness to sepsis in their community. Organizers hope the statewide recognition will encourage more Alabama residents to learn about sepsis and understand the importance of recognizing a potential medical emergency.

Original reporting: The Tuscaloosa Thread — read the source article.