A Leyland woman's crusade to raise money for UK Sepsis Trust after her mum died of septic shock whilst on holiday in Turkey

As Judy started to feel unwell whilst in Turkey last July, she was taken to Life Hospital in Manavgat, where she was diagnosed with a perforated bowel. A few days later, the 64-year-old from Leyland had died of septic shock.

Keen to raise awareness and support other families, her daughter Kim Naylor has become a campaigner for UK Sepsis Trust and she is planning a six-day trek across the Sahara Desert in November for the charity.To help boost funds, she is holding a summer fair at Old Leyland Gates pub, Golden Hill Lane, on Saturday, August 17, from noon.

The event will include a DJ, singer, bouncy castle, tombola, penalty shoot-out, face painting and stalls.

Kim explains: “I have found it very hard to come to terms with my mum’s death and needed something to focus on. I decided to learn more about sepsis and as my role as a care worker at a dementia home, I was able to train with UK Sepsis Trust and I have the ability to help people learn about the symptoms and how to act quickly.”

The mother-of-one from Leyland recalls her mum’s final few days.She says: “My mum and dad didn’t have a lot of money but this was a once in a lifetime thing for us all to go on holiday. The first seven days were amazing.“Then mum complained of bad stomach pains, but as she suffered from a blockage of the bowel, we all thought it was that.“Mum stayed in the hotel room and the rest of us went to the pool. My sister, Michelle, went to check on her and came running down to get us. Mum was white, ice cold and crying in agony. We called a doctor and she was getting worse by the second. The doctor eventually came and rang for an ambulance.

“The consultant at the hospital kept pointing to her stomach and said there was a bleed. We were told it was serious as she had no white blood cells left. Doctors said they were not sure she was going to make it through the night.“She was rushed into theatre and half way through the surgeon came out and with the interpreter, told us her bowel had perforated and food and fluid and been travelling around her body for seven days and was poisoning her organs. Surgeons managed to take away part of the bowel and stitched it together, giving her a colostomy bag.

“We got to see her the day after for five minutes in intensive care. A few days later she started to improve but then after a couple more days, she had gone down again.“She was allergic to penicillin and doctors were struggling to get rid of the infection. The only thing they could do was to transfer her to another hospital in Antalya. She had some of the best consultants, but they couldn’t do anything for her, She had septic shock and her organs were failing. We were hoping and praying, but she got worse.

“My brother, Paul, flew over to us, as he didn’t come on the holiday, and we all said our goodbyes. She died on July 24 last year.”

Judy left behind her loving husband, Ken, 76, three children and three grandchildren.

Kim adds: “Mum put everyone else before her and she was very caring. She was close to her mum, my nana, and looked after her, even though her own health was bad, as she had spinal problems.”

Kim and her family are now fund-raising for UK Sepsis Trust. Michelle raised £600 after holding a dance show in Cambridgeshire where she lives and Kim is aiming to raise £2,000 through the summer fair and the 76-mile Sahara trek in November.

To make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kimssaharadeserttrek2019 or www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nowsheflieswithbutterflies