After getting home from an operation, Allan Filler knew something was wrong.

“How do I get to the kitchen?" he said, recalling what he was thinking after waking up one morning. "And it's like, I take the stairs. Where are the stairs? And all of a sudden I was like, 'I have slowed cognitive function.'” 

Acting fast and getting to the hospital saved his life. 

“Took some blood and said what I had was sepsis and after some blood tests," he said. "And for me, actually, I was in septic shock, which for, in my case, meant I lost my, some of my organs are starting to show signs of failure.” 

What You Need To Know

  • September is Sepsis Awareness month

  • Only 60% of people know what sepsis is, while 15% know its symptoms 

  • Sepsis occurs when a person’s natural response to an infection doesn’t work properly and instead, begins to harm the body
  • Symptoms include high or low body temperature, fatigue, and severe pain. 

Filler contracted sepsis following an elective surgery.

Sepsis occurs when a person’s natural response to an infection doesn’t work properly and instead, begins to harm the body. It can lead to septic shock.

But few Americans know the symptoms of it – feeling fatigued, having a high or low temperature, being in severe pain. That’s why health officials are bringing it to the public’s attention. 

“You don't really seek medical attention right away, and this is one of the problems, is you have to seek medical attention right away," said New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Jim McDonald. "And then when you do seek medical attention, it's OK to ask your health care providers, 'am I at risk for sepsis? Are you making sure that isn't a problem of mine?' Because this is something that it's OK to talk to your health care providers about what you're worried about.” 

Babies and the elderly are the most vulnerable to sepsis, which is part of the reason the state’s Office for the Aging has taken a role in raising awareness. Director Greg Olsen says it starts with anyone they interact with. 

“I mean, there's a lot of people that we touch both within the aging network," he said. "But it's really anybody that provides any services to anybody, regardless of age, families, etc., to understand what the signs and symptoms are.” 

There are good days and bad days for Filler since his 2015 hospitalization, but he knows he could’ve lost his life. He says this month is a huge opportunity for people to learn about sepsis, which can help save their life.

“Sepsis is one of those areas where a little bit of knowledge and some improvements in the the sepsis paradigm could really make a difference and give people much, a longer lives without disabilities,” he said.