Rachel Day, 29, was urgently taken to a hospital in Wales after exhibiting symptoms of sepsis – her situation was critical enough for doctors to induce a coma.

A mother has shared the painful experience of losing her daughter to a devastating condition just 10 days after celebrating with cocktails on a Bank Holiday weekend.

At 29, Rachel was in her best years, known for her vibrant humor and personality that brightened every room. Her parents remembered her as a “truly unique character.”

The former teenage judo champion from Wales, who also worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at Llanishen Leisure Centre in Cardiff, had aspirations to change careers and start a dog daycare business. However, her plans were cut short when she contracted sepsis, a critical condition caused by an excessive response to an infection, which rapidly deteriorated her health.

Just 10 days after being diagnosed, Rachel tragically passed away, according to WalesOnline.

“Rachel had such a cheeky sense of humour – everyone was drawn to her,” her grieving mother, Bernie Day, stated. “She was fit, healthy, and had firm ambitions for her future, but tragically, she never got to realize them.”

Her parents, still reeling from Rachel’s unexpected death six years later, are now raising awareness about the early signs of sepsis to educate others. In May of 2017, Bernie reflected on how Rachel had enjoyed the Bank Holiday weekend, watching the sunset and enjoying cocktails in Cardiff Bay.

However, the following Monday, Rachel began to feel breathless, suffered from vomiting, and expressed that she felt like she was dying. She was urgently taken to the emergency department at the University Hospital of Wales around 4 am.

Despite Rachel’s return home a few hours earlier, her health deteriorated rapidly. “I was supposed to meet her for coffee but when she didn’t reply to my texts, which was unusual, I became worried,” Bernie explained. “I eventually called her, and she barely managed to answer the call.”

“She was in so much pain, she was screaming through the phone. I will never forget those screams. I left the coffee shop immediately, kept her on speaker, and rushed to her apartment.”

“She was visibly distressed, her skin blotchy and her lips a stark blue. She pleaded, ‘Mum, you’ve got to help me’. It was later revealed that her lactic acid levels were eightfold the normal range, resulting in severe leg pain,” Bernie recounted.

Bernie promptly called emergency services and Rachel was taken to the resuscitation unit at UHW. Given the severity of her situation, she was placed in an induced coma to allow her body to recuperate.

Rachel’s dad Steve said: “We were able to speak to Rachel before she was sedated and tell her that we’d be by her bedside the whole time. We were then taken into a side room by a consultant who told us that she probably wouldn’t survive the night. I couldn’t take it in because I was in such shock.”

But while in intensive care, Rachel deteriorated over the course of the following days. In intensive care, Rachel deteriorated over the course of the next few days. “She began not to look like Rachel,” Steve said.

“Her nose had turned black and she had drips everywhere. She even had blood trickling from her eyes, nose and ears. Sepsis was affecting almost every part of her body.”

On June 5, consultants shared the devastating news that Rachel would need to have her right arm and two legs amputated, which would critically impact her chances of a good recovery. But it was later found her left arm nor her vital organs could be saved.

Rachel passed away on June 7, at the young age of 29.

Bernie stated, “At that moment, she understood that it was time for her to leave us. She bravely made the decision to switch off her life support, which was devastating for us all. We managed to bid her farewell, and promised to ensure that her memory lives on by spreading awareness about ‘sepsis’.”world

The NHS describes sepsis as the condition where the body abnormally reacts to an infection, leading to potential damage to its own tissues and organs. It cannot be transmitted from one person to another. The UK Sepsis Trust reports that sepsis causes approximately 48,000 deaths annually.

After Rachel’s demise, her family supported the integration of the Sepsis Six Pathway throughout the NHS, focusing on early recognition and proper antibiotic management for those affected. Bernie remarked, “I was screened when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. But there was no screening for sepsis when Rachel was taken to A&E that night. I’m certain that it might have saved her life. We made a commitment to foster change not only in A&E but across all departments.”

Furthermore, the charity initiative “Rachel’s Day” has successfully raised around £60,000 to promote sepsis awareness through numerous events. Bernie has personally participated in six half marathons since the loss of Rachel, also sharing her story publicly.

Dr Paul Morgan, leading sepsis authority at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, has collaborated with the Day family to enhance sepsis awareness. He stated, “Sepsis accounts for more annual deaths in the UK than breast, bowel, and prostate cancers combined.

“While a significant number of these deaths affect those nearing the end of their life, others, like Rachel Day, are young individuals suddenly impacted at their life’s peak. Survivors often endure severe, lasting physical and mental challenges, such as those experienced by ex-Member of Parliament, Craig McKinley.”

“Cardiff and Vale UHB is currently revising its sepsis screening and treatment protocols to align with the latest updates in national guidelines provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC). Educational programs on sepsis are being modified to include these new recommendations.”

“It is also anticipated that advances in healthcare technology being rolled out in the coming months and years will greatly assist with this. Cardiff and Vale UHB is committed to ensuring that we deliver the highest quality of care possible, investigating when this has not happened and taking steps to avoid making any such errors in the future.

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