'I survived sepsis - only for it to kill my son': Mother whose baby boy died after medics missed killer illness discovers she had battled blood poisoning first

Melissa Mead, 29 (left), from Cornwall, lost her son William, one (right), after medics failed to diagnose the deadly condition. He began suffering a chesty cough, but medics failed to diagnose the deadly condition.


An inquiry after his death revealed that there had been a staggering 15 failures in his care. Since, she has become an expert on the subject, campaigning to raise awareness and ensure others don't die needlessly. But only months ago, she learned that she herself had almost died from the condition. Following surgery in 2011, she became critically ill with an infection and her medical notes reveal it was sepsis. The revelation that the infection was sepsis came during a session with the psychiatrist who has treated her for depression and post-traumatic shock since William died. Now five months pregnant with her second child, she is beset by guilt that she is alive while William died. 'I'd have given my last breath so my child could live,' she said.