WHEREAS, sepsis is the body’s life-threatening response to infection that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death if not recognized and treated promptly; and

WHEREAS, sepsis affects an estimated 1.7 million Americans each year and is responsible for the deaths of approximately 350,000 adults in the United States, more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined; and

WHEREAS, more than 75,000 children in the United States develop severe sepsis annually, with an estimated 6,800 pediatric deaths each year; and

WHEREAS, sepsis is the most expensive cause of hospitalization in the United States, with acute care and post-discharge costs, including skilled nursing, totaling more than $62 billion annually; and

WHEREAS, the most recent statewide data available shows that in 2021, 1,072 Virginians died of sepsis, underscoring its deadly impact on communities across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, sepsis is the second-leading cause of death during pregnancy and childbirth in the United States, which continues to have one of the highest maternal mortality rates among industrialized nations; and

WHEREAS, communities that have historically lacked access to high-quality healthcare, including many communities of color and individuals living in poverty, experience a disproportionate burden of sepsis-related illness and death; and

WHEREAS, sepsis survivors often face serious long-term effects, including shortened life expectancy, impaired quality of life, post-sepsis syndrome, and permanent physical disabilities, such as the more than 14,000 sepsis-related amputations occurring each year in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance, which occurs when organisms like bacteria and viruses evolve to resist the effects of medication, is contributing to a rising number of sepsis cases and complicating efforts to treat infections effectively; and

WHEREAS, despite its severity and prevalence, fewer than 15 percent of adults in the United States can identify the symptoms of sepsis, highlighting the critical need for increased public awareness and education; and

WHEREAS, early recognition and rapid treatment are essential to improving survival rates and outcomes for sepsis patients, and the symptoms of sepsis can be remembered with the acronym “TIME”: Temperature, Infection, Mental decline, and feeling Extremely ill;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize September 2025, as SEPSIS AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens.