Asebio and Viva In Vitro Diagnostics collaboration during Sepsis Awareness Month
As part of Sepsis Awareness Month and in collaboration with AseBio, at Viva In Vitro we wanted to highlight different perspectives on this critical disease. We have already shared the interview with Dr. Ricard Ferrer Roca, Head of the Intensive Care Medicine Department at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona) and member of Viva In Vitro’s Medical Advisory Board, and with Dr. Pablo Pelegrín Vivancos, Full Professor of Immunology at the University of Murcia and co-founder of Viva In Vitro.
Today we conclude the series with the essential voice of a patient: Marianne Haverkamp, sepsis survivor, Co-Chair of the Global Sepsis Survivors and Families Committee, Co-Chair of the European Patients and Family Workgroup, and founder of Sepsisinfo.es.
Marianne Haverkamp
From your perspective as a sepsis survivor, how would you describe the challenge that this disease poses for patients and their families?
Sepsis turns your life upside down in a matter of hours, both for patients and their families. I went from running 10 km every morning and running a catering company with my husband, to fighting for my life in an ICU in less than a day. Surviving is only the beginning: afterwards comes a tough stage, often lonely, with physical, cognitive, and emotional after-effects.
In my case, sepsis took away my energy, my memory, and my trust in my own body. And the hardest part is that once you leave the hospital, medical attention stops abruptly. That disconnection leaves families lost, without information or support, precisely when they need it most.
Patients and their families need and deserve support during recovery after discharge. However, doctors often don’t know about or don’t acknowledge the long-term effects that sepsis leaves behind.
Why do you think raising awareness of sepsis at a global level is so important?
Because sepsis is largely unknown, yet it kills millions of people every year worldwide, and in Spain it causes more deaths than heart attacks or strokes — but without the same visibility or resources. I didn’t even know what it was until I experienced it myself, and that is extremely dangerous: if you don’t know it exists, you cannot recognise its symptoms or act in time.
Global awareness is the first line of defence: it saves lives by accelerating the search for care, drives prevention, promotes the implementation of protocols such as the Sepsis Code, and attracts investment in research and biotechnology.
In your experience, how can early detection make a difference in a patient’s life?
Early detection is literally a matter of life or death. Every hour without diagnosis and treatment drastically increases mortality and the risk of severe long-term consequences.
In my case, the healthcare workers who came to my home didn’t recognise the symptoms and admitted me late; I was already in septic shock with multi-organ failure. I understand that diagnosing sepsis is not easy, but today we know that with the right tools, it can be identified within the first hour and the pathogen known in the following few hours, which completely changes the prognosis.
Here, the microbiology service plays a vital role: we need 24/7 laboratories to confirm the pathogen and guide treatment without losing precious hours. SEIMC warns that in Spain, there are still large hospitals without this continuous service — and that means lives lost due to a lack of rapid diagnosis.
Early detection not only saves lives but also reduces the physical and cognitive sequelae that shape a patient’s future. I was very lucky with how I came out of septic shock, but not everyone is so fortunate.
What role do you think biotechnology can play in improving the prognosis and care of sepsis patients?
Biotechnology is a powerful weapon against sepsis. From my perspective as a patient, the future lies in three areas:
- Ultra-rapid diagnosis with molecular techniques and biomarkers, allowing action in minutes instead of hours.
- Personalised medicine, tailoring treatment to each patient’s immune response.
- Comprehensive recovery support, with tools that address not only the physical but also the cognitive and emotional aspects.
I’ve seen projects using artificial intelligence to detect sepsis earlier than traditional protocols, adjusting medication type and dosage based on results, or new immunotherapies that regulate the inflammatory response. All this means more lives saved and fewer permanent after-effects.
There are many promising initiatives in Spain and abroad; what is missing is for decision-makers to take sepsis as seriously as they should and act accordingly.
What message would you like to convey to society and healthcare professionals on World Sepsis Day?
To society I would say: sepsis is not something rare or exotic that only affects people in poor health. It can affect anyone, at any time. Knowing the symptoms and acting quickly can save your life or that of someone you love.
To healthcare professionals and the Ministry of Health: take sepsis as seriously as a stroke or a heart attack. Implement the Sepsis Code in all hospitals, ensure 24/7 rapid diagnostics, and provide comprehensive recovery programmes for patients and families. But to make this work, we also need trained specialists — for example, Spain remains the only EU country that does not recognise Infectious Diseases as a medical specialty, something SEIMC has been demanding for years. Without these professionals, much of the potential of innovation is lost.
And to everyone I would say: never forget that behind every case there are people with stories, dreams, and families. Behind every medical record number there is a life, and we cannot allow those lives to depend on luck.
You can also read the Asebio – World Sepsis Day Press Release.