Kimberley S.

In May 2024, my life changed in an instant. What was supposed to be a normal part of postpartum recovery turned into a nightmare when I developed an invasive Group A Strep infection that quickly became sepsis.

I wasn’t seen as urgent. I wasn’t treated as high risk. But inside, my body was shutting down. By the time I reached the hospital, everything was spiraling. I was rushed into emergency surgery, placed in the ICU, and for days, my family didn’t know if I’d survive. I had just given birth, and suddenly, I was fighting for my life.

Sepsis doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t wait. It can happen to anyone, at any time. I nearly became another statistic—a mother who didn’t make it home to her children. Instead, I am here today because of the incredible ICU team who fought for me when I couldn’t fight for myself.

But survival is only part of the story. Recovery from sepsis is long, painful, and often invisible. The trauma, the physical healing, and the questions of “why me?” are things I live with every single day.

I share my story because so many don’t get the chance to. Awareness saves lives. If even one person recognizes the signs of sepsis, asks the right questions, or pushes for care because of my story, then this pain has purpose.

I am Kimberley, a wife, a mom of two beautiful daughters, and a sepsis survivor. And I will keep speaking up so no one else is dismissed, unheard, or left to face this nightmare alone