COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – As people prepare to remember Patty Duke at Lake City church, some are taking comfort in the fact that her death is spreading awareness about a disease that some say is not well known enough.
Like so many who grew up watching Patty Duke, it has been a sad week for Tom Heymann.
It has been extra sad given the fact that Duke died from a disease called sepsis, something Heymann is extremely passionate about.
Heymann is the executive director of the Sepsis Alliance, a national organization that seeks to spread awareness of the disease.
Sepsis is a condition that comes about as the result of an infection. If a person has sepsis, their body will respond overwhelmingly to that infection to the point that it can cause tissue damage, organ failure and death.
Heymann’s organization seeks to spread knowledge that sepsis is a medical emergency that requires urgent care.
According to the organization, sepsis affects over 26 million people worldwide each year and is the largest killer of children and newborn infants in the world.
While tragic, Heymann said Duke’s death is bringing awareness to the disease. He said most people do not realize what sepsis is and that it is something that needs to be treated immediately when someone has an infection.
But, change could be on the way. Heymann said that Google searches for “sepsis” were up by 800% this week.
Heymann said the organization’s plan is to continue to reach out to the medical community to spread awareness about the disease. He said they have devoted space on their website in memory of Patty Duke.