Northwest Washington family sharing awareness after sudden loss to invasive strep and sepsis

Hi everyone. I’m from Bellingham in Northwest Washington and wanted to share something deeply personal in hopes it may help raise awareness across our region. Earlier this year, we unexpectedly lost my sister to invasive Group A Strep. What started as what seemed like a simple sore throat progressed extremely quickly and developed into severe sepsis. It was shocking how fast things changed and how little most of us understood about how serious infections like this can become. Since then, our family has been focusing on education and awareness so more people recognize early warning signs and feel empowered to seek medical care when something doesn’t feel right. We have also been working toward ways to support children and families during difficult life moments such as medical emergencies, hospitalizations, and sudden loss. Experiences like these affect families throughout the Puget Sound region, and awareness can truly make a difference. I’m sharing this here because I know many people in the Seattle area have had experiences with fast-moving illnesses or sepsis. If you feel comfortable sharing, I would be interested in hearing how it impacted you or your family and what you wish more people understood. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for being part of a community that looks out for one another.