Today, Made in Chelsea’s Sam Vanderpump was announced as an Ambassador for the UK Sepsis Trust after being rushed to hospital with sepsis in December 2024. In his role as Ambassador, Sam will be raising public awareness and understanding of sepsis.

Please see the full press release below for more information:

• Made in Chelsea’s Sam Vanderpump announces role as Ambassador for the UK Sepsis Trust (UKST) following life-threatening brush with sepsis
• Sam aims to raise awareness about sepsis by sharing his experience and highlighting UKST’s work
• Sam proposed to his now fiancé in March after doctors told him arriving in hospital even 24 hours later would have cost him his life
• Five people lose their lives to sepsis every hour in the UK.   

Sam was rushed to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in December 2024 with sepsis leading to liver and kidney failure caused by the flu. Having had a first-hand experience of sepsis, Sam believes it’s essential that he raise awareness by sharing his experience and calling for better public recognition of the condition in partnership with the UK Sepsis Trust.  

Sam discusses his sepsis diagnosis, his time in hospital and the support he received from his now fiancé Alice Yaxley, on the current series of Channel 4’s Made in Chelsea. Following the severity of his illness and the closeness it created with Alice, Sam felt inspired to propose in March.  

Sam was congratulated on his engagement by his aunt Lisa Vanderpump; a former Real Housewife of Beverly Hills and the star and executive producer of Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules.  

Last December Alice called an ambulance when Sam had been in bed for days with dehydration and severe back pain. They suspected flu and thought it would get better by itself, but were told by doctors that had Sam been admitted to hospital even 24 hours later it would have been too late to save his life.  

In the UK, five people lose their lives to sepsis every hour. It is a life-threatening condition which arises when the body’s response to infection harms its own tissues and organs. It affects 245,000 people in the UK annually, claiming 48,000 lives. Sepsis can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death if not recognised early and treated promptly.    

Sam Vanderpump, UK Sepsis Trust Ambassador, said: “After going through such an ordeal first hand and seeing what sepsis is like, I realised just how urgent and scary a medical disaster sepsis can be – how quickly it can hit you, how quickly you can deteriorate, and, if the early signs aren’t caught by yourself or family members, how quickly it can be fatal. It explains why five deaths every hour in the UK are linked to sepsis, and why there are 11 million deaths from sepsis globally each year, but when I share these statistics with people, they don’t believe me. I think that highlights how unaware some people still are about sepsis. If you were to ask a sample of friends what the signs of sepsis are, it’s likely they still won’t really know. So having had this experience myself, it’s important to me that I highlight sepsis for as many people as possible, and really raise awareness of the condition. 

“When I was admitted to Chelsea and Westminster for IV antibiotics in December, I stayed in hospital for over a week, and it hasn’t been a smooth road to recovery since then – I’ve been readmitted numerous times. I’ve had three further infections since, but because I’m proud to say I now know the signs, those infections didn’t develop into sepsis. But it hasn’t been an easy journey – it creates a lot of health anxiety, and the fear of whether I’m going to develop a new infection which could become sepsis always looms over me.” 

Sepsis always starts with an infection, such as chest infections or UTIs, but it’s unknown why some people develop sepsis in response to these common infections whereas others do not.  

As an Ambassador for the UK Sepsis Trust (UKST), Sam will be spreading the word about sepsis and raising public awareness and understanding of the condition. Public recognition of sepsis as a medical emergency has improved massively over the last few years, but much better awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis is still needed: only 31% of people in the UK feel confident in identifying sepsis symptoms if they or someone else were affected. Sam plans to run the London Marathon next year to raise funds and awareness on the Trust’s behalf.  

In light of the fact that Alice’s concern and insistence on medical attention helped save his life, Sam will also be highlighting how critical it is that healthcare professionals listen when patients’ loved ones and carers express concerns.  

UKST has recently called attention to the many sepsis cases in which outcomes could have been improved or lives could have been saved. It’s more important than ever that members of the public feel empowered to act as advocates when their loved ones are unwell, and that healthcare professionals take them seriously. 

Sepsis is as common as heart attacks in the UK: nearly 80,000 people each year suffer life-changing after-effects in the UK, with 82% of sepsis survivors experiencing ‘Post-Sepsis Syndrome’ more than a year after hospital discharge, and 18% left permanently unable to work. 

The UK Sepsis Trust (UKST), founded in 2012 by NHS consultant Dr Ron Daniels BEM, aims to end preventable deaths and improve outcomes for sepsis survivors, striving to raise public awareness and working to support anyone affected by this devastating condition. UKST educates healthcare professionals; raises public awareness levels and lobbies for political change. The charity’s team of trained Support Nurses help people through sepsis recovery and bereavement. UKST aims to protect people by enabling the prevention of severe infection and the treatment of sepsis, whilst also helping to ensure antibiotics are used responsibly.  

Dr Ron Daniels BEM, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: “When Sam Vanderpump developed sepsis, he went in a matter of days and hours from being a healthy young man to someone whose life hung in the balance. We are so pleased that he got to hospital in time, received such fantastic care and is now firmly on the road to recovery with an understanding of how to spot the signs of sepsis. Too many people in the UK, however, are not as lucky as Sam, which is why we’re so grateful for his invaluable commitment to raising awareness. We’re delighted to welcome Sam as a UK Sepsis Trust Ambassador and thank him for his bravery in sharing his experience with sepsis. His voice and activism will help our health service save lives and improve outcomes for the thousands of people affected by this condition every year.” 

The UK Sepsis Trust is calling for: 

• A commitment from health ministers on the development and implementation of a ‘sepsis pathway’ – a standardised treatment plan that ensures patients receive the right care from the point at which they present their symptoms to a clinician through to receiving their diagnosis.  

• The introduction of consistent public reporting from NHS Trusts on the numbers of sepsis cases and their outcomes.  

• The continued improvement of public awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis.

End.

Notes to editors

Please contact Pandora Haydon at press@sepsistrust.org or on +447789712608.

Sam Vanderpump, UK Sepsis Trust Ambassador, and Dr Ron Daniels BEM, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, are available for interview and further commentary.

About sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to infection harms its own tissues and organs. It affects 245,000 people in the UK annually, claiming 48,000 lives. Sepsis can lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and death if not recognised early and treated promptly.

About Sam Vanderpump

Hailing from the reality TV Royal Family dynasty, the Vanderpump family, Sam started his career in reality TV debuting on “Made in Chelsea” last year and currently filming his third season. Sam’s memorable impact on the show has seen his socials climbing more than any other cast member in the past year. Aside from TV and his socials Sam is an entrepreneur who runs multiple companies in the UK and Dubai across the finance sector from currency exchange to now building a bank – he also has a very exciting family project in the pipeline. Sam is passionate about food, dogs, fitness, fashion and travel.

Sam also has rare medical condition. Congenital hepatic fibrosis of the Liver and polycystic kidney disease. In December 2024 Sam became very unwell with sepsis shutting down his liver and kidneys. Thankfully Sam made it out of this is ordeal alive. Off the back of this Sam is now extremely motivated to work with charities and causes to help raise awareness around sepsis and liver and kidney disease.

About The UK Sepsis Trust

The UK Sepsis Trust (UKST), founded in 2012 by NHS consultant Dr Ron Daniels BEM,

aims to end preventable deaths and improve outcomes for sepsis survivors, striving to raise public awareness and working to support anyone affected by this devastating condition. UKST educates healthcare professionals; raises public awareness levels and lobbies for political change. The charity’s team of trained Support Nurses help people through sepsis recovery and bereavement. UKST aims to protect people by enabling the prevention of severe infection and the treatment of sepsis, whilst also helping to ensure antibiotics are used responsibly.