Samantha Heap, a dedicated fitness instructor hailing from Coalville, is orchestrating a charity bootcamp in honor of her late mother, aiming to raise both funds and awareness to combat the devastating condition of sepsis.
Founder of Village Green Fitness, Samantha Heap, has arranged for a charity bootcamp scheduled for this Saturday (September 2) at Cattows Farm near Heather. The event is set to host 30 participants, with the objective of supporting The UK Sepsis Trust.
Tragedy struck last July when Samantha’s mother, Diane, lost her life during a vacation with her husband, Graham. An inadvertent contraction of an invasive Strep A infection precipitated sepsis, leading to Diane’s rapid deterioration.
Despite swift medical intervention and her admission to the intensive care unit at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Diane’s life was claimed by the condition just over two weeks later, with her family at her side.
Moved by this heart-wrenching experience, Samantha Heap is now dedicated to raising awareness about sepsis, in collaboration with The UK Sepsis Trust.
Samantha Heap shared her insights: “Prior to Mum’s death, I had heard of sepsis but didn’t understand it. I believed it was something that you caught in the hospital if you were already vulnerable. The fact is, sepsis can affect any person, of any age and can be triggered by any infection. I want to raise as much awareness as possible in order to educate people and give them the tools to ask: ‘Could it be sepsis?'”
Heap further acknowledged the indispensable support provided by The UK Sepsis Trust over the past year. She emphasized that the organization’s efforts to spread sepsis awareness are of immeasurable value. Determined to contribute, she conceived the idea of conducting a charity bootcamp, directing the proceeds toward aiding those affected by sepsis.
Heap shared her motivation: “Before Mum died, she had been working with me to improve her health and fitness, with the goal of one day attending one of my bootcamps. Whilst that can now sadly never happen, it won’t stop us celebrating and remembering her for such an important cause. We will be having a playlist of her favourite music and all trying to ‘Be More Diane.'”
The charity bootcamp coincides with the commencement of Sepsis Awareness Month, culminating in Sepsis Awareness Day on Wednesday, September 13.