This week on Grief Encounters, Sasha was joined by the parents of Sean “Lil Red” Hughes, who was an aspiring rapper from Finglas in Dublin, and the type of kid to make a big impression on anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. Joe and Karen are two incredibly proud parents who are doing exceptional work in raising awareness around Sepsis, which Sean passed away from in January 2018 at the age of 15. 

After complaining of flu-like symptoms, Sean suddenly lost consciousness while watching TV at home with Karen. He was rushed to Temple Street Hospital but passed away the following morning, and two weeks later the Hughes family found out that Sepsis was the cause of death. Sepsis is one of the countries biggest killers, killing more people annually than heart-attack, although still very little is known about the disease publically, with only 28% of Irish people surveyed, having an understanding of the disease and its warning signs. 

Both of Sean’s parents are completely grief stricken since his loss, but the incredible power and strength they somehow manage to find while sharing his story is nothing short of breathtaking. Having initially struggled deeply in getting support on a governmental level, they have now been asked to lead an awareness campaign around the disease which is sure to save many lives in future. 

“All we have available to us is social media. It can be bad for certain things, but it was great for the Lil Red Legacy Sepsis Awareness Campaign.. Money is not an issue, look at what we have done and we have no money. We’ve no funding. We’ve no PR groups. We are two concerned parents wanting to save someone else's life. No way is our son is going to be another statistic.”

The incredible work that Karen and Joe have carried out is already paying huge dividends nationally, as they look to spread as much awareness about the illness as possible. 

“To date 21 people have contacted me and Karen, saying that as a direct result of what we do on social media, and telling Sean’s story that their life or a loved one’s life has been saved. This is exactly what Sean would have wanted, exactly. My son’s not going to die in vain.”

Sepsis Warning Signs:

Shivering, fever, or very cold

Extreme pain or discomfort

Pale or discoloured skin

Sleepy, difficult to rouse, confused 

I feel like I might die

Short of breath

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Music by: Nctrnm

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