Right step to stop other tragedies
FIVE years ago Craig Stobo lost his wife and unborn daughter to sepsis, and almost died himself.
Yet it was a condition he knew nothing about. When Mr Stobo, 8, became unwell with a severe headache and nausea his wife, Dr Fiona Agnew, said he needed to be checked out. He was diagnosed with sepsis and immediately treated with antibiotics.
But Dr Agnew, 38, a GP from Edinburgh, also fell ill and rapidly deteriorated. She too was diagnosed with sepsis which also attacked her unborn child. Their daughter, Isla, was stillborn and the next day Dr Agnew died from multiple organ failure. Their son, Robert, was just two at the time.
Mr Stobo, a tax manager, launched charity FEAT (Fiona Elizabeth Agnew Trust) in his wife’s memory to raise awareness of the condition.
At yesterday’s launch of the sepsis awareness campaign, which FEAT jointly organised, Mr Stobo said he felt ‘very pleased’ that a public drive is now under way. He said: ‘It’s a practical way the public can understand the symptoms of sepsis and get prompt medical attention and hopefully we will see better outcomes and more people will live.’
He added: ‘When I found out the extent of this condition’s prevalence throughout Scotland I was astounded there was not already an existing charity so some friends and I set one up, and we are very grateful for the support we have had in getting to this point.’