Sepsis Awareness Month: Recognizing the Silent Emergency
September marks Sepsis Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shining a light on one of the most urgent health crises affecting patients worldwide. Sepsis, the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection, impacts more than 1.7 million Americans each year and claims nearly 350,000 lives. At the University of Florida’s Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center (SCIRC), our mission is to understand this complex disease, improve outcomes, and ultimately save lives.
Why Awareness Matters
Sepsis can develop quickly, and early recognition is critical. Symptoms such as fever, chills, rapid breathing, confusion, or extreme discomfort should never be ignored. Increasing awareness among patients, families, and health professionals helps ensure timely treatment and reduces preventable deaths.
Sepsis Alliance: Sepsis: It’s About TIME™
The Sepsis Alliance page introduces the “It’s About TIME™” initiative, which emphasizes the importance of early detection using the memorable TIME acronym:
- Temperature – Higher or lower than normal
- Infection – May have signs or symptoms of an infection
- Mental decline – Confused, sleepy, or difficult to rouse
- Extremely ill – “I feel like I might die,” or experiencing severe pain/discomfort
- Learn more about recognizing sepsis fast:
“Sepsis: It’s About TIME™” — Sepsis Alliance
Our Commitment at SCIRC
At UF Health, SCIRC brings together surgeons, scientists, and clinicians from across disciplines to tackle sepsis from every angle—basic science, translational research, and clinical care. Our teams are:
- Advancing knowledge of immune dysfunction and long-term complications following sepsis.
- Building predictive models and digital tools to improve early detection in hospitals.
- Supporting training opportunities for the next generation of physician-scientists dedicated to critical illness.
- Partnering with patients and families to address the long-term recovery journey of survivors.
How You Can Get Involved
Throughout September, SCIRC will host events and initiatives to educate, engage, and empower our community:
- Sepsis Awareness Table – Learn the signs and risks of sepsis and pick up educational materials.
- SCIRC Symposium – A day of research, collaboration, and keynote presentations highlighting innovations in sepsis care.
- Sepsis 5K – Join us in raising awareness while supporting sepsis research.
- Grand Rounds – Featuring nationally recognized experts in critical care and sepsis research.
Together, these efforts highlight the importance of awareness while showcasing the groundbreaking work happening at UF SCIRC.
Join Us
SCIRC 2025Symposium Flyer 09.04.25
Whether you are a patient, caregiver, healthcare professional, researcher, or community member, your voice matters. Help us spread the word about sepsis this month and beyond.
📍 Learn more about our research or get involved with our research: https://scirc.med.ufl.edu/projects/ or to participate as a healthy control volunteer, please email: SRG-SCRIC@ad.ufl.edu.
📞 For questions, please contact the SCIRC team at Amanda.Reifenrath@surgery.ufl.edu.
By spreading awareness and supporting research, we can help reduce the impact of sepsis and save lives. Let’s make this Sepsis Awareness Month a time of education, action, and hope.
We hope you are able to join us for our upcoming Sepsis Awareness 5K and World Sepsis Day Atrium Table!
Feel free to share this article on your website to help raise awareness about sepsis and the critical research being conducted at SCIRC.