Ciaren and Orlaith Staunton

Our beautiful 12-year-old son, Rory, fell playing basketball and grazed his elbow. Despite bringing him to his pediatrician and a major hospital emergency room when he became ill, Rory died four days later, from undiagnosed and untreated sepsis. The mortality rate from sepsis increases by over eight percent for every hour that antibiotic treatment is delayed. That’s why the protocol for sepsis is a fast diagnostic workup, prompt treatment with antibiotics and systematic re-evaluation to determine if the antibiotics should be adjusted or stopped. Rory never received antibiotics. We founded the Rory Staunton Foundation in memory of our son to spread awareness of sepsis and to ensure that every hospital in the United States adopts a responsible sepsis protocol. Through our work, we hope to prevent other families from experiencing such a devastating loss. Because all of us need to be resistance fighters.