The heartbroken parents of a young rapper who died of sepsis have blasted the Health Minister for snubbing them, declaring: “he just doesn’t care.”
Mum Karen Phoenix and dad Joe Hughes want to help raise awareness after losing their 15-year-old son Sean “Lil Red” Hughes to the silent killer in January last year.
But a meeting with Simon Harris at Leinster House in January to discuss Sean’s legacy was cancelled at the last minute – and they haven’t heard from the minister since.
Joe told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “We just think he doesn’t care. It’s disappointing and it’s very upsetting he hasn’t been back in touch to reschedule.
“We were in Leinster House that evening, we had changed our plans to go in and meet him. I think it’s poor form that he hasn’t got back to us. At the end of the day Sean’s death was preventable.
“Sepsis awareness equals saving lives. Seven people die of sepsis in Ireland every single day.”
Joe and Karen had never heard of the illness before their boy’s death – and they believe this is the case for most Irish people.
Sean, who was being treated for a chest infection, was watching TV at home when he suddenly lost consciousness on January 11. Reliving the horror of his final hours, Joe said: “He became unresponsive and his mum called me… I saw he wasn’t breathing.
“I put him on the floor, checked his airways and began CPR. Karen called for an ambulance and the paramedics came.
“He was brought to hospital at 12.20am. Doctors told us it would only be a matter of hours before he passed away.” Sean, from Finglas in Dublin, was rushed to Temple Street Hospital but died the next day. At his inquest last August sepsis was given as the reason for his death.
Despite their numbing grief, Joe, Karen and Sean’s sister Zoe, 21, have spent the past few months giving talks in schools and local clubs to spread awareness.
A documentary they put together with 3 Productions to help highlight the dangers was screened for the first time in Dublin last weekend.
To date 11 families have contacted the family to say the campaign helped save a life – and Joe and Karen believe the true figure to be a lot higher.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "The Minister wishes to express his utmost sympathy for the tragic circumstances in which this family lost their child.
"While the Minister is unable to comment on individual cases, and his office does not have any record of a planned meeting, he is aware of the powerful advocacy efforts they are making to raise awareness of sepsis among the public and the importance of learning from the tragic experiences of this family."
The spokeswoman added that the HSE National Sepsis Programme includes information on the HSE website, along with "public awareness activities" including attendance at the National Ploughing Championships, public lectures in universities and community information sessions.
She added: "The HSE National Sepsis Programme is now expanding its activities to further promote sepsis awareness in GP practices and the community. Staff have been appointed in each region to coordinate activities and staff training on sepsis."
