Rugby woman's near-death experience inspires new career

In 2002, Emma Evans had a nine-week-old baby daughter when she developed sepsis – a condition that kills more people in the UK than cancer.

Flu-like symptoms left her on life support and her family were told she only had a 20 per cent chance of survival.

But after 10 days, Emma was well enough to breathe on her own.

She spent a month in hospital and while there decided to change career and become a nurse – and is now one of the UHCW Trust’s first nurses dedicated to fighting sepsis.

Emma said: “I would never have thought of becoming a nurse if I hadn’t had sepsis.

“Not long after leaving hospital, I left my job in the RAF and I moved back home to Rugby where I went to college to do an access-to-nursing course for a year.

“I then went to Coventry University for three years and completed my nursing degree. I worked in the cardiothoracic critical care unit for eight years caring for patients who’d had chest surgery before my dream job came up.

“I know I am lucky to be alive and feel extremely proud to be a sepsis nurse here. I want to raise the profile of sepsis so people know what to look out for, to prevent another family going through what mine did 15 years ago.”

Deputy Chief Nursing Officer Linda Abolins, said: “I am very pleased that someone with first-hand personal experience has joined us as a sepsis nurse. Emma will play an important role across both of our hospitals.”